To Work or to Blog…
Clearly it has been a long time since my last post. This is not for lack of content- sometimes I feel like there is a gun to my head to both create work and find the time to share it. Wouldn't it be great if you could all just come by the studio, have a glass of Prosecco, and have your own experience from time to time.
In any case, I am now working on an enlargement of an element from my life-size piece 'Doubt Kills the Warrior' (formerly known as 'Sara'). It is the heart of the piece that embodies the core of the movement: "Axis."
I've never built an armature in foam before. My friend and artist, the awesome Nick Petronzio, is helping me. It has been quite a learning process. Many (most) sculptors are now employing laser technology to enlarge or reduce sculptures. This is not a choice I was interested in at all. Even when I sculpted 'Doubt', I made a decision to sculpt the hands 10% larger than life-size; first of all because I love hands, but more importantly because when you look up, they are way above your head, and would appear smaller if they were true to scale. These and many other kinds of aesthetic decisions cannot be made by a machine.
Here are some early progress shots - so far I have about 900lbs of clay on her. It's just the beginning, the sculpting hasn't really started.
Here's the original and the 8' bock of foam. We decided to incorporate the base into the piece, took preliminary measurements, and started adding dimension to the bottom.
We added foam in some places, and then, using a hot wire tool, cut off major sections from others to block out the general shape.
Disaster struck. The ceramic broke in ??? pieces. By midnight, she was back together...I needed the master to work from. Shit happens.
Analyzing the next phase...subtler angles and high-tech sculpting tools; sawzalls, any manner of knives, and my favorite - curry combs (a metal brush for horses)!
And finally, clay! We went through 600lbs in the first day. Most of which was on the base.
By the following weekend, we got her covered!
Also, 'Doubt Kills the Warrior' will be having her coming out party at the Autry in Griffith Park for the California Art Club's 101st Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition, April 1st- 22nd. More details to follow.
Exhibition Nov 16
I Have The Right is title and premise of a powerful upcoming exhibition that I am excited and proud to be a part of. The theme covers the right to be free, to express oneself, to dream and to love. Sculpting Carole was a turning point for me--an important moment in my life and in hers. I'm ecstatic to finally have her in an exhibition locally. I'd love for you to join me at I Have The Right, presented by PICTURE Art Foundation on November 16 from 5-8pm at Cal State Dominguez Hills.
Paint on Clay
In the past few months I have been experimenting with different ways of dealing with ceramic surface. I've often been dissatisfied-as have my students-with the outcome of glaze. It can be too glossy, cover too much texture in the surface, and can be unreliable. Here are some recent pictures of my own and student pieces with acrylic polymer patinas and oil paint. I've also been experimenting with ceramic materials like terra sig, engobes, and mason stains. Those pictures are still to come.
Here's my own piece...a small one of Sara...
Here's my student Molly and I standing around her newly painted torso...
These next three pieces were made by my student Marsh Drucker, who's been experimenting a lot with paint, and getting some fabulous results!
For anyone interested in taking a class, new 8-week sessions are starting at the beginning of October at the following times:
Saturdays 10:30am-2:30pm
Wednesdays 6:00pm-10:00pm
Thursdays 10:30am-2:30pm
For more about classes, check out my Sculpture Classes site and join my Facebook studio group!
Chain Letter – Art Mayhem
Today I made a valiant effort to install a piece at the Chain Letter show at Shoshana Wayne Gallery at Bergamot Station. The installation started at 10am. By the time I headed down there at 11:30, the traffic was already INSANE on Cloverfield. The police turned us away because the parking lot was full...so we snuck in the back way.
For those of you who haven't heard about this show, initially 10 artists were invited to participate, those 10 then invited 10 more whom they admire and so on. This cycle continued for 30 days, here's an excerpt from the website:
'Chain Letter' is a group show rooted in the ideals of inclusion, and highlights the social nature of the art world. It is the hope of the curators that the response will be vast and that the artists represented will be an exponential representation of all artists that are currently working and admired by their peers.
The result is an exponentially massive, artist-curated group show based entirely on admiration...Chain Letter mimics communication today; and the way in which information is passed. The outcome will be a testament to the power of connectivity within society at present.
It's an awesome idea, the concept is incredible, but the gallery space was maxed out- they had given out 650 numbers, and there were still hundreds of people waiting in line with art of all shapes and sizes. It looked like a swap meet.
People were mostly of good cheer, although some cynical voices were heard in the line: "is this what artists have to do to get their art seen?"
Inside...
Are there words...the good, the bad and the ugly...
This is a floor only show. There was some work that I actually thought was beautiful, original, creative, funny...but it was a challenge to see it. Some exhibitors were, I felt, really rude, by taking up inordinate amounts of floor space (not a very cooperative spirit).
In the end, I decided not to install my piece. The gallery didn't provide any insurance, and the risk for a ceramic piece was just too great. Aside from the fact that the line was still 3 hours long, I had no water or sunscreen, and most importantly, the space was already full! BUT, I got tremendous value from the experience.
I would encourage you to go see the show and join the hundreds of artists and their family and friends, if you can find a parking spot. It's quite an experience. More art than you could ever see at one time together, ever!
Opening Reception: Saturday, July 23, 6 - 8 pm, the show is up until about August 25
For all the Figurative Artists Out There…
I came upon an article in the New Yorker that is the most wonderful thing I've read in a LONG time! Not that there is a need to justify what I do, but I must admit I have felt defensive in the climate of art critics and the movement of modern and contemporary art away from honoring craft and toward the 'less artisanal, but no less demanding--conceptual, historically conscious, made of mind and thought.'
So read this article Life Studies-What I learned when I learned to draw by New York art critic Adam Gopnik. The change in his perspective and the way in which he reveals this year-long journey is refreshing, literate, funny, and personal. Here's a taste--a favorite paragraph:
We stopped for coffee afterward and I asked Jacob why, given his skill at seeing and showing the world as it was, he never wanted to draw the particulars of this world as it is, the world that we found ourselves in, where people met at endless dinner parties. He drew his kids beautifully but without their iPods and Gameboys and Vitamin Waters. Why not draw as a novelist might write, with the appurtenances and accessories of this time?
He looked at me and seemed almost angry- 'No, that's--you've so absorbed the premises of modern realism into your head that you can't see past it. Why didn't Michelangelo draw people buying fish, instead of nudes and gods? He was looking for some idea of beauty, rooted in this world...that didn't need an ipod to justify it. He really had an idea of timeless beauty. Why is beauty less interesting to you than journalism?'
Also, check out this website - figurativesculptors.com.
It's a new site that sculptor, Denis Grace, has launched just for the love of figurative sculpture. This site creates a network and community of figurative sculptors and serves as a much appreciated resource for these artists, art lovers and collectors . I know what it takes to build and maintain a website and he's doing this all for no charge. I want to thank and salute him for his efforts!
More Harmony – Best in Show!
I'm so excited to be able to tell you that after all my hard work the piece arrived (almost) intact, was installed without a glitch, and to my delight, received Best In Show! I only had just found out a week or two ago that the show was to be juried. Here are some installation shots. The organizers have let me know that Whole Foods Hinsdale at the Oakbrook Center is now going to bid on it in the auction Gala in the Fall to make it her permanent home. The HCS Family Services coordinator wants to use the blog to create a book about the process to have a permanent documentation to accompany the piece. Please visit the installation if you are in the Chicagoland area: Oakbrook Center, 100 Oakbroook Center, Oakbrook, IL 60523.
And while this was happening, all this was happening....
Jonathan Bickart – Killer Artist and Friend
Over the course of the past few months I have been reaching out to peers and mentors in my field. It has been rewarding and enriching.
Some artists and others have an attitude of keeping their arms around their work- not sharing process or collaborating or communicating. We have a tendency to be alone in our own studios especially after we are out of a school context.
Maybe its fear, maybe it's competition, maybe it's immersion in our own work or lives- or maybe it's simply lack of interest that pushes us in this direction.
I know I have been limited by my own experience and that I have been inspired by not only seeing other artists work but by being in their studios, talking about how they make things, seeing them teach, sharing process, exchanging ideas.
One of them is my dear friend Jonathan Bickart. He’s a killer teacher on the Westside of LA. When I started teaching he could have been threatened by a new teacher opening a small studio class, but that wasn’t his reaction at all. Instead he invited me into his studio to see how he teaches…RADICAL.
We are such different sculptors and teachers and have such different things to offer that the notion of being in competition is absurd- but nevertheless, it could have existed with someone else.
I have learned so much from him, he’s truly inspirational. He has the largest – and ever growing library of art books I have ever seen, and pulls them out constantly, using images to inspire students and make them think and grow. I have tremendous respect for him. To work in another’s studio for the first time in years is an awesome experience too. It’s incredibly freeing. I’m able to do things I can’t do in my own studio by myself (like lifting 150 lbs of clay). So I’m having a blast.
In addition he is an accomplished and profoundly interesting artist with a broad spectrum of work. I can’t say enough good things about him as a person, an artist and a friend.
Here’s a piece I’ve been working on in his awesome studio.
Thank You Jonathan
In the midst of it all / Harmony
First of all...be warned - This is a REALLY long post with LOTS of cool pictures!
In the midst of the sculpture and mold of Sara, new classes beginning, my daughter graduating from Columbia NEXT WEEK, I've been working on a big commission for In Bloom! An opportunity came my way that deeply resonated with my passion for giving back to families in crisis. Some of you are familiar with the concerts that David and I have held to benefit Upward Bound House. So when I heard about In Bloom and their connection to HCS Family Services it was right in my wheel house. HCS Family Services is a compassionate human care organization serving low-income individuals and families since 1937. During the selection process I had the choice to either donate an existing piece, or work with a sponsor. I chose the latter, and Whole Foods chose me!
After submitting concept proposals, this one was selected. I've been working at a large metal plating factory, designing, constructing, and finishing this piece! The process has been UNBELIEVABLE. More complicated than I ever imagined. The definition of Murphy's Law. It was finally crated today and is on its way to Chicago. The installation and opening event will be the week of May 16th (the same day Sophie graduates!), so I'll miss that moment. The sculptures will be on display throughout the summer, with a closing Gala Art Auction Charity Event in September. Part of the proceeds will benefit the families that HCS works with. If you're in the Chicago area this summer stop by at the Oakbrook Center to experience In Bloom yourself.
Here's a peek at the process of creating Harmony!
Here's where the fun starts. I began with a globe creating relief with a acrylic medium. My intention was to plate the globe with copper after this pain-staking process.
I tinted the ocean areas in order to be able to see the brush texture.
Added pumice gel medium to increase the relief of the continents.
Beautiful,right?
Unfortunately when it was filled with foam, before plating, we discovered that the glossy surface on the globe made all the paint fall off. So.....
I had to start over from scratch. This time it was all about Bondo. Instead of acrylic gel mediums the materials switched to glass beads, catalysts, power tools and spray booths.
Simultaneously I was working on the figure at the foundry. I needed to make the feet fit around the globe, and create fabric to drape the figure.
I looked everywhere for the perfect branches and finally found manzanitas on Ebay. The structure of the manzanita tree is beautiful and exactly what I was looking for. I put them in my kiln for a week at low temperature to dry them out first before they were to be plated in copper.
Finally the bronze was cast from the wax (known as the lost wax process). This is what bronze looks like before any kind of patina has been applied.
And here she is being fitted on the copper-plated globe for the very first time. It worked!
At this point everything moved over to Brite Plating: You probably have something in your house that came from there if you have a doorknob or a light or a metal table...you name it.
Alan and Landon and a team of thousands became my champions from this moment on....
Then came fabrication of the stand, refinement of the fit of the feet, more coats of copper, and the whole process of patina on the globe.
This was a cold patina. We started with a dark base to bring out the texture in the surface.
Then I added greens on the continents and used first ammonia, then stable blues on top for the oceans, then sealed everything with permalac.
Next came the patina of the copper-plated branches and the bronze figure.
These are huge dipping vats filled with chemicals. OMG
She was hung upside down through a hole in her foot which is actually part of her structural engineering (thanks to the genius of Landon Ryan.)
If this were a video, you could see that she went down into the vat and came up, which is why she is now a different color...Dark...
Darker...
Darkest!
At the end, she is blown dry with an air hose.
And here come the branches...
Here is the stand that will go into the ground. The bottom will be filled with concrete for extra weight. There will be stakes embedded in the concrete since the piece will be installed in grass. It will be oxidized black. It's going to be awesome!
And finally the globe is fitted onto the top of the stand for the first time...Very exciting!
And there she is, on top of the globe, for the very first time. Each stage is a landmark!
The first patina on the branches and the figure was just a base. Then I rubbed everything down to expose the highlights..
To apply the Cupric Nitrate (green) patina, the bronze is heated with a torch
The chemical is sprayed on and reacts with the metal. The highlights still show through, which gives the sculpture beautiful dimension.
And then the very last thing...the branches are soldered into the hands of the figure.
And then finally , for the first time, all the elements went together and the whole concept was actualized.
In the time it took me to write and post this she has been crated, made her way safely across the county and arrived in Westmont, Illinois, to be installed next week while I'm in New York. If you're near Chicago, please go check it out at the Oakbrook Center and send me a picture. I'd love to see it installed!
Painful But Necessary
It's an incredibly emotional exerience (especially if you're me) to cut a piece apart and begin the mold process.
It is never again in its original form - to me, unfired clay is the most beautiful state/phase of a sculpture. There is something about the way it reflects light that feels so much like skin.
Beginning the mold process is the end of its evolution. The sculpture is done becoming, so to speak.
So there is a saying goodbye to that part of the process. Cutting the piece apart is painful, but necessary.
Analizing how I was going to make the mold was the first part. I had to cut off the arms and then a leg, which ultimately I wish I hadn't. Here are some pictures...
The mold process goes through many stages; parting lines - silicone rubber, reinforcing with cabosil and rubber, burlap, and finally a plaster jacket- or mother mold.
Alberto measuring and mixing the silicone and the catalyst.
A rubber mold holds all the detail of the clay original and I can use it to cast her in whichever material I choose. That will come next...
Parting Shots
I've shared the process of sculpting a piece for the first time ever. It's been an intense process over a long period of time, interspersed with many other things in my life- exhibitions, commissions, teaching... It's hard to say when a piece is finished. But in this case, the clay is telling me it is.
Many other sculptors think I'm crazy for working with water-based clay for this reason: the working time is finite, but so be it. I hate chavant, and plasteline, and classic clay (all oil based options that sculptors insist I try.) If I didn't I could work on this sculpture forever. I wouldn't be running into shrinking and drying issues and wrapping with plastic and so on. But its kind of nice to know it has a somewhat natural end.
My dear friend, Jonathan Bickart, came over and worked with me on her hair last Saturday, gave me some unbelievable wisdom. Thank you Johnathan.
In any case, here are parting shots of Sara. Mold begins next weekend.
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