Following the Tread of Angels – sculpture by Guy Breay

Queensland wood artist Guy Breay was recently commissioned to carve a piece for a commemorative Anzac exhibition in honour of the Papua New Guinean ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels’ who saved so many Australian soldiers during the First World War, enabling them to return home alive.

Homecoming, a local perspective: navigating the experience of returning from conflict is on show at the Dogwood Crossing Gallery in Miles, Qld until January 15, 2019 and presents stories of ‘homecoming’ from returned service personnel, their families and communities with a connection to the Western Downs. 

‘As we also lived at Kokoda for three and a half years and developed strong and warm connections with the people all over PNG, it was a great honour for me to accept this commission. This is the most profound piece I have ever created,’ Guy said.

Guy’s connection with Papua New Guinea goes deeper. Born in England, Guy spent his early years in the south of India until he left to find adventure in PNG where he became involved in the development of the tea and coffee industries. He met his Australian wife and soulmate Jan there, and together they established a cardamom plantation. Altogether, Guy and his family lived in PNG for 34 years, a time which he recalls as fulfilling and replete with happy memories.

Following the Tread of Angels, shown above, is carved from a twisted four metre long budgeroo branch salvaged from the maker’s property.  The photo was taken at the exhibition opening and shows Guy Breay with Mr Eric Geldard, a 96 year old gentleman wearing his war medals, a Western Downs, Qld local whose life was saved by Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels inland from the coastal town of Wewak. ‘His is a long and fascinating story’, said Guy. ‘Somehow we connected and he could envisage being carried down the winding track avoiding the enemy and other pitfalls down to the coast as represented by my sculpture.’

You can read Guy’s artist statement below which details the conception of the piece.

Two other examples of Guy Breay's scupture are shown below. Guy’s work is exhibited in a number of commercial galleries in Queensland as well as at Bungendore Wood Works Gallery in New South Wales. See also his website at www.thestiks.com.au

Artists Statement for Following the Tread of Angels
Sculptor: Guy Breay
Carved from a Budgeroo Branch

It is an honour for me to present the most profound sculpture I have ever created.

This gnarled, crooked and twisted branch was carved in honour of the Papua New Guineans who assisted and fought alongside Australian soldiers in battles and behind the enemy line campaigns during the Second World War in Papua New
Guinea.

It is designed to evoke memories of all those involved. Twin helixes of retained gnarled, rough, exterior wood contrast with the highly polished mahogany heart wood to represent jungle tracks and pathways of life. The tracks lead from the base and traverse boggy sections where boots get stuck in the mud. The pathways encounter many rivers and fast flowing creeks that disappear into the deep gorges below.

There are other features such as bullet holes that pock mark the old wood. Snakes and leeches, hiding in wait for passers by, appear in the twisted grain of the wood’s exterior. There is also a branch carved in the shape of a bush knife, or machete, to hack the way through tangled undergrowth that contains the Kanda, or wait a while vine, that tears at the skin and clothes with needle points and hooks. There are sections that traverse from one track to the other, where the unwary soldier would find himself lost and going around in circles or, worse still, fall into an abyss or off a cliff into the many tear drop shaped voids.

The tracks entwine and converge over razor backed ridges as they ascend the numerous false peaks to the summit of the mountain. This is the finale that represents the pain and suffering of those times.

The Australian Diggers counted their blessing that they were accompanied and assisted by Papua New Guineans who knew and understood their own environment like no others. The soldiers that came home safely did indeed Follow the Tread of Angels.

Learn more about the Homecoming exhibition at www.dogwoodcrossing.com

Guy Breay, The Maiden’s Hair, flame sheoak, ironbark

Guy Breay with The Search for Monisha, awarded Third in 2013 Wootha Prize featured that year within the Maleny Wood Expo.