Sculpture

Three Standing Figures, (life-size)

This body of figurative sculpture came out of a quest for understanding the essence of what aspects are common among all living things and evolved into an acceptance, trust and appreciation of how those fundamental qualities express themselves in all things.

Each figure is situated in common human gestures with minimal specific information, such as gender or ethnicity, consequently inciting the viewer’s own references, memories and associations.

At moments, I’m in awe with the realization that each species begins its life with the same inherent continuum of equipment, however, emerges as a unique individual. No tree is the same as no persons are identical. My hope is to first see the universally and second to appreciate the extraordinary individual variations.

Balance, 10”

 

The material I use is clay mixed with an organic binder used in taxidermy. Once I’ve formed a figure from solid clay or body parts, I impregnate fabric with the solution. The fabric is then draped and molded into shape with a heat gun. Once the original figure is destroyed only a hard durable shell remains as testimony to its existence.

Traveling,
(life-size), Leg with foot in background is fired clay with acrylic paint

Alcatraz Dream Boat
(upper boat by Richard Elliott)

Bowing, 18” (model)

Bowing, (detail)

Yellow Blanket, (model)

Sitting with Someone, (life size)

(detail)

Sitting with Someone Else, (model)

A sculptor’s actions are usually executed with the intent to maneuver one’s materials into submission. I’ve become more interested in the pervasive force of nature regardless of human efforts to control it. With some pieces, I prefer to withdraw my intensions and document the forces of nature to continue manipulating the materials.

Stills from video of decomposition of Sitting with Someone

Sitting, (life-size)

Bachette,
Pencil and plaster on drywall

Thinker,
Pencil and cement on drywall

Tent, (model)

Facing Figures, (model)

Facing, (life-size)

Connected, 7’ H (life-size)

Connected, (detail)

Bed, 8’ wide, (with participant)

Alcatraz Chair, 6’ H

With participant

Kneeling Figure, Feet are fired clay with acrylic paint, (life-size)