Kayo Yokoyama

Born in Japan, glass artist Kayo Yokoyama is heavily influenced by the landscapes of her home country, as well as her adopted home country of Australia. Kayo emigrated to Australia in 1997 to pursue her dream of studying art; it was this move that inspired her to embrace her inherited culture, after rejecting it as a child in favour of the more dominant Western culture.
Her distinctive etched trees are the main aspect of her intricate glass sculptures, with the overall concept of her works being concerned with a sense of belonging and connections to a lived place. Chairs also feature in her works, connecting the idea of feeling a sense of ‘home’, and being able to look out and connect with nature
on a personal level.
“The trees in my work represent real trees, as well as being symbolic of a higher consciousness in the journey of the growth of my identity. My engraving of trees on the surface of the glass recalls me to a place of strength from inside of me.
They suggest a fundamental order of the world and my place in it – my homeland.”
Since graduating from Sydney University in 2001, as well as obtaining a Master of Fine Arts in 2012, Kayo has worked tirelessly in perfecting her art and has constantly exhibited throughout Australia. Many Regional gallery invited shows and private gallery shows. Kayo has affinity to the installation art works, she has been collaborating with many different artists.
Kayo’s works have been selected for many different art competitions, including Greenway Art Prize, Scenic World Sculpture Prize, Outback Prize, Blake Prize,
Eden Unearthed Sculpture Prize, Tom Malone Glass Art Prize, Blacktown Art Prize.

Henryk Topolnicki

Henryk Topolnicki studied at the University of Silesia in Poland where he obtained a teaching degree. Henryk migrated to Australia in 1982.
After completing a sculpture course at East Sydney Technical College in 1990, he started a designer-maker’s business.
From 2000 this business became a primarily art focused enterprise. Dozens of successful public art commissions followed. At the same time he was pursuing other avenues such as interior design, landscape art and commercial space fit-outs.
His latest venture is the opening of Gallery H at Dargan.
Henryk is a practising artist who develops works completely independently and in response to private, public, gallery and competition commissions. He has the comfort of fully equipped studio workshops, both for metal and wood working. This gives him total control of the whole artistic process and ensures that the original intention does not “get lost in translation”.
Over the last 25 years of art practice, he has had numerous solo and group exhibitions, while at the same time accomplishing at least 50 public art commissions, both in NSW and Victoria.
Current gallery representation
Lost Bear Gallery, Katoomba, NSW
Gallery H, Dargan NSW