Sculpture
My master's degree is in Sculpture. I have a limited number of pieces as I have just retired after 21 years of teaching full-time. I discovered early that it was impossible to commit 100% to teaching and 100% to sculpture. My focus on sculptural form in graduate school was the combining of architectural (man-made) form with organic (natural) form.
I like the additive/subtractive method and materials of modeling; clay, wax, and plaster. There are various clay types; moist clay (water-based), paper clay (air dry), polymer clay like Sculpy (baked), and epoxy modeling clay; I am working with Aves Apoxie Sculpt. This clay is weatherproof and can be installed outside.
I became interested in sculpture in undergraduate school after taking a 3D Design class. I worked with moist modeling clay which needed to be cast in plaster for permanency. Through this process, I learned the art of mold making.
"Trojan Horse" - Cast plaster 13x12x3 (1978) I was seeing the strength and beauty from a historical and contemporary perspective. Historic perspective draws on the trojan Horse of Troy, the beautiful Chinese Tang Dynasty war horse sculptures, and of course the beautiful and powerful draft horses like the Clydesdale. All were my inspiration created in a contemporary style. The horse is in two pieces, there can be several ideas taken from this, the hollow trojan horse concealing the Greeks, the power and gracefulness of the horse, and even the male and female concept. The contemporary smooth, clean surfaces and sharp edges merge with the organic representation of a horse. The negative space (energy) between the front and rear pieces creates tension.
Trojan Horse was one of several explorations of combining architectural and organic forms that I was involved in at graduate school. The next piece, "Horse" is done in an epoxy sculpting material.
Horse - 2022 Aves Apoxie Sculpt epoxy Faux Bronze 17x13x6 mounted on Dark Walnut base.
Constructed with a luan profile, All thread rod, rigid foam, Aves Apoxie Sculpt, Acrylic Blackened Bronze, and gold on darl Walnut base. $1200.00
"Mermaid" - 2022 Aves Apoxie Sculpt epoxy Faux Bronze 30x6x9. Constructed with a luan profile, All thread rod, rigid foam, Aves Apoxie Sculpt, Acrylic Blackened Bronze, and gold on dark walnut base (not shown)
The precursor to the
Mermaid is cast plaster
from moist clay about
16" high. The carved
plaster figure study is a
direct plaster piece
about 8" high 1977-79
Super Sculpy Dragon demo for a sculpture class in 2006. The sculpture is 12" high.
The President of Cheyney University commissioned me to create a lifesize portrait in Bronze of Ed Bradley.
Clay to Bronze
Step 1: Creating the image in clay - Plasticine clay over rigid foam.
Step 2: The sculpture was given to a sculpture foundry to make a mold and wax casting for the bronze process.
Step 3. The unfinished bronze before patine
Below - unveiling during the opening ceremony of the new Ed Bradley Communications Center at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania.
