A Sculptor’s Bones–O.K.
I guess it is a little strange that I just finished a hand doctor’s portrait and I end up at a hand doctor. I should have made an appointment with Dr. Brown, but I didn’t want to to take a chance on blowing the surprise. The good news , there is no arthritis. I have some other problems that warrant resting hand in brace when not sculpting and using cream. Just thought the xray was so cool. A sculptor’s bones!
The Secret Revealed!
For about 4 months I have been working with a new secret client. It was a secret because we were creating it for her husband to be given to him at their Christmas Party. The party was this past Saturday. The subject was Dr. Brown of the Houston Hand Center. You know the commercial, with his little daughter, who reaches out for the camera.
Rachel, Dr. Brown’s wife, and I have been working on this commission for four months and we managed to pull it off even though Hurricane Ike came in the middle and tried to slow us down.Rachel graciously invited my husband and I to their company Christmas party. Something quite fun as we don’t work for a company and rarely get to go to a Christmas party.I also loved being there for the unveiling.
I also worked diligently to put together a video of the entire process. Rachel was so much fun to work with sending me photographs and letting me tape her voice. It was a blast to have that extra little something to go with the sculpture. The video was played at the party.Mr. Brown was delighted with his sculpture, and Ms. Brown expressed a desire to have the kids captured as life-size bronzes. We all agree, the Brown’s will be keeping me quite busy in the next year or so, but not too busy to take on other work, I’ll just be hiring new apprentices.Here are some photographs from the event.
Sparks Commission Always Wanting More Reference
When trying to capture the likeness of someone it is much more difficult when you don’t have lots of reference. The more reference the easier my job. I tried to pull some photographs from a memorial video and they helped some but it is nice to have both profile and front view. Without that the sculpture may look exactly like the subject from the front, but from the side it will look like a stranger. I spent the weekend roughing in the sculpture and have a good start, I may have to hold off on doing any more until I have more reference. If the client can’t find any of course I’ll do my best. But here is the sculpture as it appears roughed in. This is Mr. Sparks for the University of Memphis.
Sparks Commission- Update – Developing A Relationship With The Deceased
Here the process begins again, tapping into more than a likeness, but the life and essence of someone I have never known. As I get to know my subject, “develop a relationship with the deceased”, as a friend once said. I feel very honored to be the artist chosen to capture such a great man.
The other day I met Mr. Sparks’ daughter. I gravitated to her, felt bonded with her. She was real, caring, a grown women who had a part of her daddy in her. Her love of animals, her desire to help others. It is these elements that I see and feel in the living that helps me bond with the deceased.
I just finished watching the memorial video of Mr. Sparks. At first I could get no sound and i searched through the video instead looking for profiles, something that was lacking in the reference material that I was given. Screen shot after screen shot I longed to hear what was being said about the man. I’m interested in his life, his part in history.
I found a button on the computer that gave me sound and watched the entire segment the second time this time with volume. These comments of those who knew and loved the man are as important as the physical reference. They help me to tap into the essence of who he was. One video segment made me smile. I rewound the video, saying “Stop, stop, oh there you are”. The twinkle in the eye, the smile. Let me capture that essence.
Now to transfer this to clay. I’m ever reminded of the little boy in the movie Hook. Who smooshes the grown Peter’s face around until he says, “Oh there you are Peter Pan!” That wonder is how I begin.
The state of Oklahoma and the state of Tennessee sure were lucky to have such a man as Willard R. Sparks
New Article- A Review of New Technology for the Traditional Studio at the Siggraph Convention
New Article- A Review of New Technology for the Traditional Studio at the Siggraph Convention
Best of Artists and Artisans finally got my new article up. Check it out.
The snail mail section is so funny. This article was complete a while ago and I am thrilled to be able to share more information in the near future concerning some of my other finding on technology in the traditional studio.
Sculpture Judge For Culture Shapers
Once again it was that time of the year for the Culture Shapers art contest. Here is a link to the top 10. And a couple of photographs of my favorites. I can not tell you the order of the top 10 that is secrete and won’t be revealed until the 9th annual awards ceremony on November 20th.
The entries seemed to be down this year. Probably due to hurricane Ike. After all many students were out of school for a couple of weeks. The contest was also administrated a bit differently this year in that all of the work was taken in on one day, as well as judged on one day. I am sure this was a nightmare for culture shapers but I really enjoyed seeing and meeting all of the other judges. Sometimes your life can feel very lonely when you sculpting in the studio followed by writing upstairs in the office.
Once again I must say that any art show is subjective. It really depends on the judges. This year I had two entirely different judges. They like what they do an I like what I do. I am willing to fight over the pieces that I feel need to be at the top, but then again there area some concessions that need to be made as well. I can’t believe I didn’t take pictures of all of my favorites but here are a few.
Mother Nature
Kelsey Brinson
Cy-Ridge HS
Cy-Fair ISD
Teacher: Claire Vining
Adolere, Orare, Adorare
Anda Brown
Clear Creek HS
Clear Creek ISD
Teacher: Terri Foltz-Fox
This one is hard to see, but it is twined hands. I love reading what the kids say about the artwork.This actually represents what they went through when having so much destruction on their home during Ike.
New Commissions-Willard R Sparks
Willard R Sparks
Born in Dibble, Oklahoma October 10, 1936
Died in Memphis, Tennessee on January 30, 2005
It feels good to have a commission that I can talk about. I have so many secret ones going on right now. It is a Christmas thing. My newest Commission is of Willard R Sparks, for the University of Memphis. Here is a link to information about Mr Sparks. Another one of those quick turn around commissions, but I look forward to getting to know the man, and I’ll be blogging about the process for all of those UM alumni, students and faculty that care to watch.
A New Video- Digital Art In The Traditional Sculpting Studio
This video documents the process of bringing digital art into the traditional sculpture studio. It is of 3 different sculptures and as promised it is an update on how the Jenna sculpture was taken from poser to clay.
Cool Stuff in Technology- And Introduction to a Technology Symposium That I Am Putting on Next Year
I have been working on a technology symposium for Houston next year. HUGE PROJECT! more about that later. I found RabbitHole printing at Siggraph this year and just loved it. I’m hoping they will be at the symposium. This stuff reminds me of looking through my view master toy in the 60’s,
but it is much more intense and active. Is it a shadow box? Is it a print? Is it sculpture? To help with the load time of my blog I’ll direct you to the link for this video http://vimeo.com/1767780?pg=embed&sec=1767780 VIDEO NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
Signed The Contract Yesterday On A New Book
Digital Sculpting with Mudbox: Essential Tools and Techniques For Artists.
I am thrilled with the idea because I feel this book begins a cross over between digital sculpting and traditional sculpting. Something that has not been done before. I am working on the book with my husband Mike de la Flor. http://www.delaflor.com He brings the digital sculpting to the forefront, and I on the other hand, approach this from an entirely new and different perspective. I will be spending hours and hours, not just writing but also working in this program, and immersing myself into more and more technology. Things are changing out there and the technology that is coming up is a great resource for traditional sculptors.
Stay tuned for next years Houston Symposium on New Technology for Traditional and Digital Sculptors. It will be out after the book of course, and will include
* digital milling
* digital scanning ( including digital a new digital scanner that is affordable to the average studio, Too cool )
* digital printing
* digital printing in bronze and gold ( TOO COOL!)
* digital milling in wood
* digital milling in stone!
and who else knows what is going to come of this. IF it works well we hope to duplicate it in other cities, let us know if you would like to sponsor such an event, or if you have new technology that you might like to include.
Meanwhile it is back to the grindstone. Must put in estimates for projects and get back to the virtual sculpting stand.