Sculpture

This past weekend we had a Christmas party at my art studio. It is called the upside down Christmas party because we hang the tree upside down from the ceiling. The guests that come can decorate our tree from a found object, or anything that is on their person or in their car. It is fun to see what others come up with. I have posted some of the party pictures at my other blog. https://creativesculpture.com/blog . It is a creative event. Everyone enjoyed the tree and the sculptures.

The Jeanine and Lucas sculptures came home from the foundry for the show. Soon they will be with their parents. The holidays are always difficult for those who have lost a loved one. It is a time of continuous prayer for me. I feel compelled to lift up each one. Jeanine and Lucas will soon be home with their families.

It was fun to see people interact with Dick.

I thought I would share with you some of the adventures. There were a lot of people in attendance. We had several guests of honor. Lucas was running around with all of the adventures. Trying to charm everyone he met. He did a great job.

Jeanine has a smile that softened everyone. I was thrilled when Ellie’s parents commented on the peace that I captured with Jeanine. From anyone else I don’t think it would have mattered as much. But Ellie’s Parents have experienced the same loss.

Dick Hathaway sat near the upside down Christmas tree and lectured away. I envisioned him talking about the history of the event. We covered the bench next to him. It was fun to see people interact with him. I am not sure their conversation but they all seemed to be having a good time.

I started with my sitting where I took measurements and photographs. If I am working with children then I spend lots of time playing with them while we do this. It is also important that with children I am sure of their good time of the day. With this commission I don’t have those stipulations.

My apprentice helps me by putting clay on a wire armature. I am using a water base clay. I love the feel of this clay and it has so many advantages compared to the wax based clay, but, it will dry out if not kept wet. It can also sag. That is why I use the other types of clay on sculpture that will be around a while.

The measurements help me to get the size of the person. I have reduced my subject 90%. If a portrait bust is going in an average size room it is better to reduce it or it will look monstrously large. There will also be a bit more shrinkage as this is going to the foundry and that process also has a bit more shrinkage.

slowly you can see the sculpture begin to morph into a person. If I am not mistaken is also has some emotion. Relationships are all about intimacy and I think that with my research into creating posthumous portraits and with art and emotion I realize I become intimate with the piece. It is funny but looking at the pictures of us together you can “feel” that intimacy.

Still I search for my subject. Who are you? What part of you do your children want me to capture? There is a camaraderie between my clay, the muses and myself. A ritualistic dance to find the hidden soul.

Many wonder how do I create a portrait bust.

SIZES
There are two sizes of portrait busts just below the shoulders and more chest. More chest will cost more money in bronze. I can not seem to get away from it though. My subject reminds me a lot of the B. B. King sculpture and sitting. They both have wide shoulders. To cut my subject just below the shoulders seems to decrease who he is. Like B’ they both seem to have that emotional stature. I have decided to continue with a larger bronze and see what my client thinks. I can always show the client,” we can cut it here.” I’ll post more later.

I think I also love my clients handerchief coming out of the pocket. To get down that far is costly, but we will see.

I have had to stop until I get more clay. 50lbs later. Oh yes, with the wax based clay it is reusable, but the water base clay is not.

Last week I went to the thrift store and looked for some books to set at Dick’s feet. The title of these books will change as they will be covered with clay and the form of the books actually become an armature. I’ll carve the titles in the book so they will be seen in the cover and spine. I may utilize the book bag as well, covering it with wax to stiffen it up.

I am still searching for the title of the books that would be at Dick’s feet. You may notice there are a few other elements that are spilling out of the bag. To be specific they will be an elephant carving, a feather and their will be a piece of paper a letter on top of the bag.
Here is the significance of these items.

The first is an elephant. I received this elephant from my professor Charlotte Hastings. It was in regard to something I mentioned while I was writing the book “Bringing to Life the Spirit of the Deceased—A Sculptor’s Journey”

THE ELEPHANT
I commented in my writing of the book, “I have always been intrigued with the story that I heard of elephants, marveling at the bones of their ancestors that they never knew. I remember seeing an elephant documentary that said that elephants that came across bones of their ancestors would pick them up and caress them, passing them from one to another in a respectful but mourning ritual. By doing so, it helped them come to terms with death. I feel that this action, this simple action by a wonderful and majestic creature is what I feel when I create posthumous portraiture. When the box of personal affects comes to my studio and I examine it, from that day forward until the day that the sculpture is complete I have spent time lovingly caressing the life that I have had a pleasure to be introduced to. I turn that life over and over in my hands and heart as lovingly as those majestic elephants did with the bones of their ancestors. It is through my ritual and my art that my experience is enhanced and the healing process and letting go occur for my client. “

THE FEATHER
There will also be a feather pouring out of the book bag, another symbol that is mentioned in my book –

“While sitting at dinner with several classmates on the Vermont College Campus, we were discussing posthumous portraiture and my journey. They were all interested in my topic. Again I state, “How do I do this? It is a difficult thing for me to look at, do you think that somehow I communicate with my subject””

Communicating with those who are dead is not an easy thing for me to comprehend. I have a strong Christian background and communication with the deceased would be frowned on by some people. ““Besides”, I tell myself, “this is just art.”As we talk the eyes of one of my classmates tears up. I have just met all of these people within the last day, and these women at this very dinner. I discover that Helen has just lost her mother seven days earlier. ““Great.” I think to myself, “You have done it again talking about death like it is an everyday thing.””

I apologize to Helen, ““I am sorry if I am being insensitive.” It would not be the first time that I have had to do this”— apologize. Just last year I was visiting a friend who lost her son. She and I had had our children months apart, and I could not begin to comprehend the incredible pain of losing a child who is only 19. She inquired about my work, artist that she is, and I told her about my most recent commissions, all which surrounded death. I truly was not trying to be insensitive to the pain of others, this work is my job, my life. I work with death almost every day.
Helen tells me that it is all right and proceeds to tell me a story about her mother. “I did a study on the Native American Indians,”” she begins. ““Within this study I discovered the strong symbolism that a feather has to the Native American Indian culture and while my mom was in the hospital, I gave her a feather.”” We all listened intently to the story. She told us how unsure she was about coming to residency, but she knew that her mother would want her to come. So she packed her bags. She left the room where her bags were sitting and upon returning she looked and on top of the bags was a feather. She quickly stated that she collects feathers and has cats and maybe one of the cats could have gotten into her feathers and brought one to the suitcase. All three of her classmates concurred: it did not matter how the feather got there, it meant something to her, and so we believed it was from her mom.
After our conversation that evening, I was overwhelmed with the amount of interaction with people in the last few days. It was so unlike me, but I decided to skip the next lecture and take a long walk up the mountain. Just before dark I returned to the campus. As I turned to enter the dorm building, there on the ground was a feather. I stepped over the feather at first saying, ““Hmm here is a feather”. Then I realized the significance and backed up and said, ” HERE IS A FEATHER!”” I picked up the feather and then searched for Helen. When I found her I handed her the feather and said, ““Maybe they do communicate; if so, I think your mom says hi.”
It was not the only feather Helen received throughout the six-day residency. In total she received five feathers.”

There were many more strange things involved in these two symbols, but I suppose you will have to read the book to find out.

THE LETTER
The letter will be a statement about Dick, a letter to him from those who loved him, all of us. I’ll carve this into the wax or clay.

As reported before the TW Wood Gallery is now taking the donations toward the Dick Hathaway memorial project. That means that the donations are tax deductible. Today I closed out the Houston account and sent them a check for what was in this account. It was a whopping $60.70!

I am glad that we have a total of $20,060. toward the project with just a balance of $4,940 needed.