Writer, Film Director and Actor
Westlaker 1973-1975  

This sculpture was inspired by Harry’s lyrics from the song Walk Around the House, by The Front Lawn. 

Harry Sinclair is synonymous with the creative partnership “The Front Lawn”, a musical theatre project he formed with of Don McGlashan in the 1980s.  This song appears on their album “Songs from The Front Lawn”. 

Listen to Walk Around the House here.

Harry is a writer, director and actor.  After his work with The Front Lawn, he went on to direct several award-winning feature films, including “Topless Women Talk About Their Lives” (1997) and “The Price of Milk” (2000). 

Harry has acted in a number of New Zealand films including working with Peter Jackson, playing the role of Roger in Braindead, and as Isildur in the first scenes of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Harry is currently writing and directing an animated children’s series, “Kiri and Lou”, for TVNZ and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, with composer Don McGlashan, and animation director Ant Elworthy. 

For more information go to:
Harry Sinclair - Wikipedia
Harry Sinclair | NZ On Screen  

Information about the sculptor​

Jeff Thomson was born and raised in Castor Bay, Auckland.  He attended Westlake Boys High School from 1971 – 1975 and went on to study at the Elam School of Art attached to the University of Auckland.  Although he studied painting and printmaking, he made his move to become a fulltime sculptor in 1986 with a particular focus in using corrugated iron.  

Jeff’s work often appears as large-scale sculptures of corrugated iron animals, birds, cars, and people, and include public works and commissions installed in towns and cities throughout New Zealand.  Ten of his sculptures form part of Allan Gibb’s Kaipara Sculpture Park, known as “The Farm”. To date, Jeff has participated in nine of the “Sculpture on the Gulf” biennial exhibitions held on Waiheke Island. 

Jeff has exhibited in New Zealand, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, and the US and has works held by the Heide Museum of Modern Art, Museum of New Zealand and a further two major public national galleries.  He is recognised as one of New Zealand’s leading and most original contemporary artists today.   

Jeff was instrumental in designing and constructing the archway (waharoa) that takes pride of place at the main school entrance.  In 2017, when it was installed, the school began the tradition of welcoming Year 9 students and farewelling graduating Year 13 students as they walked beneath the arch.   

You can read more about Jeff and his career here: https://bit.ly/3oDCrlD 

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