Amazing Driftwood Life-Size Sculptures by Tony Fredriksson

Tony Fredriksson was born in Harare, Zimbabwe. He discovered his talent and learnt that he had a passion for art at an early age.

After studying fine art at the Eastborne College of Art and Design, UK, Tony moved to South Africa. While living in South Africa he explored various art fields such as painting, drawing, and sculpting but it's his driftwood sculptures that he is well-known for.

He creates amazing life-size sculptures of birds, mammals, fish, insects and man made objects using driftwood found on the beach. It's the shape and size of the single wood piece that helps determine the subject matter and then smaller pieces are strategically arranged to render the final form. 

Tony uses a wood cutting device to shape the wood and sands to smoothen the sharp edges. His final piece can take weeks before it's ready, he once created a 13 meter sculpture of a whale which took five weeks to complete.

"Tony finds most of his inspiration for his driftwood sculptures in organically weathered pieces of wood. Every piece tells a story and is uniquely shaped and textured; some by oceans and rivers and others by insects and the elements." 

He makes the sculptures in his studio Open Sky Wood Art based in White River, Mpumalanga, South Africa.