Geoff Rankin

Geoff Rankin has been working with Glass and Obsidian (volcanic glass) for many years. He uses lapidary techniques, diamond saws and silicon carbide grinder and hand polishes to cold work glass

Born in Scotland Geoff did all his schooling in South Africa. The family then went back to Scotland for about a year before emigrating to Australia

Shortly after arriving in Sydney Geoff was accepted into the National Art School as a full-time student. It was during this time he discovered “The Third Dimension” starting a whole new way of thinking.

Geoff spent most of his early artistic career working on his metal sculpture. He also worked as a set designer. In the 1970s Geoff and his wife Judy moved to New Zealand where he joined the South Auckland Rock and Mineral Club. It was there he learnt to polish stone. These lapidary skills were then transferred into his sculpture. Another new direction. He said “instead of a builder upper he now was a breaker downer”.

I fist saw potential in Obsidian (natural volcanic glass) then big lumps of glass as they showed off his designs.

I’m looking for pure form. My work often hasn’t go a set base it can be seen several different ways. I’m equally at home with geometric or organic forms or a combination of both.

Geoff’s work has been exhibited in multiple galleries. In recent years a good number of works have found homes overseas. Some in Europe and several in the United States

Exhibited at Sculpture on the Shore 2023.

Geoff is based in South Auckland and his works can be seen in the following:

The Frame Workshop & Gallery, Herne Bay, Auck. https://frameworkshop.co.nz/collections/geoff-rankin
and
Art Industry, The Black Shed, Clevedon Village, Auck. https://artindustry.co.nz/geoff-rankin/