Get to know MrASingh
Award-winning artist MrASingh (Amrit Singh) is a well-loved Wild in Art veteran, having completed 55 sculptures
Amrit runs a content production company alongside teaching social media and content creation at universities and organisations such as the BBC. “My day job is logistical, strategic – it’s very clean work,” he says. “And as a creative, I also like to get messy and get my hands dirty. Doing Wild in Art sculptures means I get to push the boundaries of my creativity and share my style of art with new people in different cities and towns across the UK.”
Seeds of creativity
It was while working in a corporate setting as a graphic designer that Amrit began to explore his artistic talents. “To start with, my art was a way to escape from work behind a screen and lose myself in creativity,” he says.
“Until 2016, I hadn’t even shown anyone my art as I didn’t think it was good enough. Then I started live-streaming and became more confident in sharing my art on social media. As my art started to get noticed more, I was offered the opportunity to do my first Wild in Art sculpture, which was a bear in my hometown of Birmingham. It was a steep learning curve, and it took me more than a month to complete the sculpture, but I loved how it turned out.”
Amrit’s work has evolved considerably since he’s been participating in the trails. Initially, he specialised in very detailed pattern work, mainly in black and white. “Now I’m known for bold, contrasting patterns, texture and lots of colour,” he says. “I want people to have an initial reaction, then discover more about the piece the closer they get. I try to intrique them with tactile additions and hidden details.”
“I don’t have a background in fine art, so art to me is still new. I’m experimenting and figuring out what I can do with different materials and how I can push the boundaries of mixed media techniques on a 3D sculpture.”
Taking the art trails by storm
He has also changed his approach to the work. During and for a while after the pandemic, he had his own studio where he painted all the sculptures. “But I really missed the interactions,” he says. “While I’m an introvert at heart, I really enjoy connecting with people and hearing their thoughts and seeing their reactions to my artwork. So, because I was working all over the UK, I decided to paint my sculptures in the cities hosting the trail. I absolutely love it because I get to meet new businesses, charities and artists, and share knowledge.
“The sculpture trails are a really good way of seeing a part of the UK that I’ve not seen before, and I treat them a bit of a holiday. When I do the work, I might extend my stay for a bit, explore the area, and visit museums and galleries.
“Having said that, a lot of the interactions I get come from social media. People love to tag you in their photographs and it’s a great feeling for an artist when someone enjoys your work so much that they want to share it with you and their connections. Art can be very passive – think about a gallery, where people simply observe the work and move on. If someone takes the time to tag you or send you a message, you know you’re doing something right.
“For me, the best part of being involved in The Big Hoot will be seeing the joy and inspiration it brings to people while helping raise money for charity. I’m proud to say that my sculptures have raised £170,000 for charity so far, and that is an extraordinary feeling. I’m hoping the 13 sculptures I’ve produced this year will help lots more!”
To find out more about MrASingh:
Amrit’s sculpture – and 29 other artistic 6ft owls will be swooping into Chichester and Arundel from 10 July – 1 September. It’s a completely free and accessible art trail for the whole family to enjoy. And don’t forget our little hoot too – nestled in shops, libraries and museums – all decorated by local schools and community groups.