Artist's Copyrights are in danger.

For those of you watching the video below and wanting to take action here is a link to a site that will allow you to send a message directly to your state representative. It is put together by the Illustrators Partnership of America

And the professional quilters blog has some other links on the subject.

here is a wonderful resource of articles about this bill

For comprehensive bill descriptions that describe the impact on visual artists:
House Bill http://capwiz.com/illustratorspartnership/issues/bills/?billid=11320236

Senate Bill http://capwiz.com/illustratorspartnership/issues/bills/?billid=11322171

Writing an article about this.

I'm writing an article about this subject right now. I thought I would post this video to explain the topic.


It is about something called the Orphan Works Bill. This bill is not supported by most artists and will really be detrimental to our lively hood. I can hardly believe that it is being considered. If anyone reads this and would like to help please e-mailyour senator and tell the you do not support the Bill S.2913

here is another good article on the subject

update on Jenna, and other things

When I was at the foundry last week I had hoped to see Jenna. "She is in the dip room" said Miguel. The lights are usually off in there so I figured she was taking a nap and did not want to disturb her. Being that Dick was in pieces was difficult enough. I yearn to see everything back together the way they should be.

My apprentice has been diligently working on a second wax of Jenna for me. I had hoped to get that completed and together to have it ready for my meeting today. But Alas she sat there in pieces.

As stated I prepared for a meeting with a potential new client. I hope the job comes through. It is a sweet story and will be a fun commission. The studio was all clean- that is about the only time it gets clean. Once the new projects begin it is back to the mess.

My daughter's boyfriend, is now fiance ( he proposed in a photo booth at the 59 diner, on Thursday, after asking the parents for her hand in marriage. The 59 diner photo booth is a perfect place for a person into photography ). Bill stayed in the studio while visiting last week. My son asked, "Does it freak you out sleeping in there?" I'm glad it did not. It does make my son a little weary, don't know if it is the sculptures or because after the sculptures are done there are a lot of body parts. You see I can reuse the clay, so the clay that was used on Dick Hathaway and Jeanna has been used on Patsy, Lucas, and others. Lots of creative energy in that clay. But I have to get the clay off of the pieces. Right now Dick Hathaway is piled, in pieces in the corner. My apprentices will help take the clay off after he is complete.

After the week long visit, the kids are gone, and the big meeting is over. Wish I could take time to sit and be still, but there is still a lot of work to do in the studio and office. I will post more photographs of the sculptures soon.

Bridgette

A living sculpture

This is my continuous work in progress. A living sculpture, a retreat and my commute to work. As I stated before this pond, stream and waterfall is something we have been working on for 10 years. This past week we finally finished it! O.k. there is still some things I would like to do.

First picture looks from the porch of our house to the small shed left, and the corner of the studio steps. When ever I come home from work ( 40' commute) I take the long way!





Here is the view that clients see when they enter the backyard. The sculpture studio is downstairs and that is my office window in the loft. I can see the pond from my office. The stream runs along the walkway, as you walk to the studio. Tilly the turtle and her baby climb this stream and waterfall daily!

My husband hates the purple chairs, but I wanted to bring some color to this back yard and purple was my color of choice!



Tilly and her baby have come down to the lower pond after construction. I think they approve. Here tilly is coming out of the pond ( lower right corner) There is rock that is supposed to stick out of the pond, but we had a lot of rain. Guess I'll put my wet suit on and get back in to lift it up!


Stepping out of the office window onto the roof is the only way to get a picture like this. You can see a bit up the stream. The bench and chair in the middle of the yard is where my husband and I have our meetings, though I have to say we did take our shoes off and stick our feet in the pond the other day. We both thought that was a perfect meeting spot as well.

( you can see that about the middle of this picture is some liner. Here is the unfinished spot. A small beach is going here, for birds, easy out for Tilly, watering hole for dogs etc.)



It is my oasis, you could hardly tell that you are in the middle of the big city of Houston. Only downfall to this is getting a life size sculpture or bronze back and forth from the front, but we have done it and have tried to keep that in mind when putting together the walkways.

Certainly a living sculpture.

Was it an angel in the nativity or a dragon fly?

Here is a little pond biology. Dragon fly nymphs climb from our pond onto stalks and then hang there. Soon the dragon fly burst forth and hangs to dry. Once dry, they fly away to come back later and mate with another dragon fly or lay eggs. They are one of my favorite things about the pond. While getting ready to work on the pond this garden container that I created called "nativity" was sitting by the pond. I think I used it to weight down something during the winter. I looked closely and just about the place that an angel would be hanging there was this dragon fly. I thought it was so cool, I just had to share it.

"My body is just something I use to carry around my head."

The foundry e-mailed today, wanting the bench that Dick Hathaway was created on. I had it loaded into the van and brought it over to them. When arriving to the foundry the Hathaway sculpture was everywhere! Pull yourself together Professor! Miguel the master foundry man was diligently working on putting him together. It won't be long. What was that quote that the professor used to say, "My body is just something I use to carry around my head."

Saying good bye-

When I was searching for reference for the Dick Hathaway memorial, I went through the collection of his books and found this page. It seemed so appropriate for what I do, what transpires with the deceased. I think of it often when I am trying to capture the essence of those I have never met and who are now gone.

The poem

Out on the end of an apple tree bough
A birdie was singing a song just now.
And when it was ended
the birdie pretended
to say good-bye,
But he did not know how!

Word of the day- Thanatology

With my work of sculpting posthumous sculpture, my study of sculpting the deceased, and the writing of the book, "Bringing to Life the Spirit of the Deceased- A Sculptor's Journey" which I am still searching for a publisher , I cannot believe I did not come across this word.

It means the study of everything that has to do with dying, death, and grief. There is even an organization called The Center for Thanatolgy Research and Education Inc.

Once again I ask myself, why am I drawn to this area? For me it is a God thing. I know that creating a sculptor of a loved one can be very healing for the family. I am extremely thankful that I have a job that helps others. But even as a child I was drawn to the subject. I write about it in my book, and may even have mentioned it before. It was my job each spring to bury the baby birds that fell from the nest hidden in the rafters of our old Victorian home. I was the only 5 year old that I know that had their own baby bird cemetery. It is an uncontrollable desire to give credence to a life lived, to somehow establish a physical existence that others can see and say, "Who was this person?"

here is a portion from the book "I have always been intrigued with the story that I heard about 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 its contents, from that day forward until the day that the sculpture is complete, I have spent time lovingly caressing the life that I have had the pleasure of being introduced to. I turn that life over and over in my hands and in my heart as lovingly as those majestic elephants did with the bones of their ancestors. It is through this ritual and my art that my experience is enhanced and the healing process and letting go occur for my client. "

Making mud pies- nature or nurture?

I was reminded that years ago I used to have regular art shows at my studio, monthly in fact. We would always have a creative thing for people to do. Once we had "shoot the sheet." We put clothes dies in water pistols and let everyone create a joint piece of artwork, another time we had paper airplane contest, you should have seen all of the airplanes in my rafters. One time I had a mud pie contest. What surprised me was that so many people did not want to participate. They did not want to get their hands dirty. I am reminded of this as my newest apprentice said, she hates to have her hands dirty.

Is this a nature or nurture thing? Do some children just love playing in dirt and others can't stand it? Did you make mud pies?

As I worked in the garden putting down the stone and pathways my tools were, a piece of foam to sit on, a small mallet that I often would use the wooden handle to push in the pebbles, a small hand shovel, and two small buckets one filled with pebbles or sand, the other to take things away. I also had two stones that I really need to paint a notice on , "mom's caveman tool, do not misplace." A simple triangle stone that fit perfectly in my hand and was great for smoothing or digging. I would sit on my foam mat, which has a wonderful Cezanne painting on the one side, my tools spread out about me and working on the space between my legs. " You look like a little girl," my husband commented. I often wonder were there characteristics that I had as a child that would have been an indication that I would have liked getting my hands dirty for a living? Playing in mud, clay, or digging in the dirt. I do know that I love the tactile feel of gardening. I know health wise I should probably put on gloves, but I don't enjoy the experience as much. Was I born this way?

Tilly came to take a look

This morning tilly came to take a look. I found her in the" soon to be new bog area" looking up at the pink rock. She used to like to sit on the black liner. I asked, "Want me to build you some steps up from the bog? She just looked taking it all in. "It will look much different when I fill the pond back up." I assured her, like she could really understand. "Did the baby come with you?"

Yesterday I put the waders on that my hsuband bought for me years ago. I choose to do this when I was straddling the bog and edge trying to sink a milk crate, put a concerete block on top and then what I now refer to as "the bathing stone." A stone that has the perfect slope for baby and tilly to get on and sun bath. The bottom of the pond was murky, thank god for my toes being covered. I balanced that milk crate with rocks that I shoved under the murk and between the crate, this I did with my toes and feet. I am sure I looked a site standing in the pond.

There is one small problem with the pond that I just cant figure out. You see I can't use concrete on the pond liner as it is a living pond and it the concrete will play havoc with this perfect system that I have here. It could even kill all of the fish and turtles. I could not stand for that. So, once again. I'll finish the edge and fill the pond, but the beach will have to stay just liner, until I come up with another solution.

originally I was going to, lower the pond level even more to expose the beach and stream, put in concrete with pebbles, scrub the concrete once cured with vinegar, this helps neutralize the concrete. While scrubbing it I was going to vacuum the vinegar up with my wet vac. YES! a lot of work, but I am not sure even that would keep the critters from being hurt. I can not stand the thought, and can't find help. So... Fill her up and work with dilemma that another time. I really have to get back to the studio.

Working on the pond

It is coming along. I am very tired of laying stone. Tilly and her baby have moved to the upper pond while this one is under construction. She will be so surprised when she comes home.

Have you ever placed a ton of rock?

I began my pond about 9 years ago. It started with an upper pond then the 14 foot stream and the lower pond. The edge of the lower pond has never been completed. I am not sure why. Probably because I have changed my mind so many times about what it should look like. When people would walk by the pond, on the way to the studio I would say, "My work in progress." I kind of feel like this back yard is a living sculpture, a never ending piece of work and a very magical place. By the end of the week I expect the lower pond to be done. What will I do with my self? How will I ever adjust to the fact that I don't have to "finish" the pond?

My hands ache, my back aches, and I still have about a 1/2 a ton of rock to place. Wish us luck.

Oh yes, and Tilly the turtle, along with little guy have moved up to the upper pond. They really did not like all of the noise and disturbance at the lower pond. But boy won't they be surprised when it is done. The design is one that is very turtle friendly, with special treats for them both. For one of those treats I have to get into the lower pond. That should be interesting. I'll update more, must find Advil.

The coolest thing... GREAT RESOURCE!

More people should know about this. If you own an Apple Computer and want to learn to do anything, from very basic, what is a mouse and how do I turn the thing on, to how do I create a podcast, video, website etc. You can order something called "One to One" It cost me 99.00 for a years worth of One to One. Once a week I can go to the apple store and get one on one training on anything I want. I can bring in my website design, podcast, video etc and they help me figure out how to do it, lately I am going in for upper level stuff, audio etc. But this is such a great resource. I just don't know why more people are not working with it. I didn't know it was available and most do not.

My father owns a PC in another state, and I know he is frustrated with the new operating system and the computer. Geek squad costs so much, but it is probably the only alternative for him. I wish he owned an Apple. If he did I would buy him One to One.

Today I had a One to One. You see I am trying to put up podcasts. There was a woman working with the specialist next to me she must have been in her 70's. She brought her own laptop, which is an advantage to those having a lap top. I was impressed with her.

I headed over to Micro Center to buy new headphones and other tech items and there was a guy in line that said he owned an Apple and didn't know what to do with it. I told him about the One to One. He had no idea! I have run across many who don't. THIS IS THE COOLEST THING! Sorry PC guys. One more reason to love my Apple computer.

I really must create a video on One to One.

Introducing Elijah

My new client has given me permission to introduce you to this wonderful boy 'Lij.
He is the boy in the sketches below. I was introduced to 'Lij, through Jenna's family. I feel so privileged to be creating with 'Lij's mom. She had posted this wonderful video on her Carepages. Carepages are free personal websites that connect family and friends during illness and injury. The song was produced by Songs of Love Songs of Love Foundation provides personalized songs for Chronically and terminally ill children and young adults, free of charge. I think this is one of the coolest things I have heard of in a long time. The video made me smile and cry.

Presentations and more computer toys

I have another presentation that I am doing but I have not been given permission to post the child's photographs or name. I did want to share a bit about the process, for those following along. ( does anyone read this blog?)

I could not do this little boy in a 3D model as with Jenna. I began this process in the post "Working on another 3D presentation." The big hold up? The blanket. Apparently creating blankets in 3D take quite a bit of time. So instead I played with another new form of technology in my studio. My WACOM tablet.



with this tablet I can draw right on the screen! I love it! I am also using a program called Painter. In the sketches here I have only used the pen tip, but in Painter you can actually paint in all sorts of mediums. The nice part about using it with these sketches is that I can do things in layers. Sketch the boy on one layer, from a photograph provided by mom, and then place him on different layers showing different elements. Kind of like having a clear transparency. Some day I'll have more time to work in Painter. I am wanting to illustrate my children's books in them ( any publishers interested?)

The sketches you see are the boy on the granite base and a cross, that is on an angle. In one picture his blankie wraps around the cross as if it is a gift to God, in the other it hangs off. I love that the grass is tickling his toes. In the third picture I have shrunk the cross. See how it changes the feel of the piece?

This presentation reminded me of a praying boy that I had created a long time ago. He is peeking up to see if God is listening!

The professors glasses are all fogged up!

While at the foundry dropping of the Jenna waxes and picking up wax two I snapped these pictures of Dick Hathaway. Here you can see his head foot and...? The white stuff on the metal is the ceramic shell. The foundry will now break this away and begin to weld him back together again. Quite a process!

Boxed angel wings and Baby plays peek a boo.

My daughter used to love playing in boxes when she was little. That is the feeling that I get with this picture that I quickly snapped before loading Jenna into the van to go to the foundry. I have her taped in so there is no chance of her little roses coming off of her dress. Her little wings, and the hand now with a butterfly secured to her finger are in another box. It is up to the foundry now!

I have a note on the box that says, "please bead blast" When the sculpture is in complete it is usually sand blasted before the patina is added. Not many people use the bead blast but I'll tell you it makes a difference. How to describe it... softer, yummy, translucent? I really don't know how to describe it. Not long ago I was at a foundry and they were boasting about a sand that they use. I think it was some sort of Oklahoma sand. I am such a tactile person, I immediately asked, "may I touch it?" The moment my fingers touched it I was reminded of the only other time I "felt" what they beadblast with. I thought is was interesting that my fingers had a memory.

I still have Jenna wax two in the studio. My goal is to get her together before the end of the month for display. I have several clients coming to view my work, and it would be nice to have her there. Thank god for apprentices!

Be careful- A word about copyright

I had someone call me and ask if I could create an award for them. Not unusual, but they wanted my to recreate an award that they already had. My response to them was, "I am sorry, but I cannot recreate your award unless you have written permission from the artist." I was unclear as to why they could not have the artist do the award, and they were in a hurry. "We paid the artist to create this sculpture," they said. "Unless the artists contract states that you have the rights recreate or pour from a mold you cannot cast this piece. If you get permission from the artist I would be happy to help you out. " Because of their time frame I quickly sent a photograph off to the foundry to see if they could give an estimate, then we would be ready if they could receive the permission. They recognized the artists work. It turns out the client could not reach the artist, and the foundry said they would help.

THE LESSON
Copyright is a bit confusing.
All of my work is by commission. Though clients pay me a lot of money to create sculpture, and many times in the likeness of their loved one, I retain the copyrights. They do not have the rights to recreate, cast or pour other pieces. Sometimes a contract may state it is a one and only sculpture, usually this costs more. Note the artist can still cast an Artist Proof (AP). This is just like the clients sculpture but is used as a proof by the artist. AP can also be in an edition. Often AP's are sought after by collectors.

Typically I request that I have the rights to pour up to 10 additional pieces of my work and sell them at what I feel is a reasonable price, which is often much lower than my client originally paid. The reason is that the client is paying for the design, the personal likeness, and the original creation of the piece. Creating pieces as an edition of 10 is a wonderful way to gain a body of work.

Copyright is tricky and really not understood by many. It is there to protect the artist, their careers and their work.

Yes, I do have fairies!

Someone that I had traded plants with before emailed me about plants and at the end of the post asked, "My girls still talk about the "magic pond" and the sparkling lights that you showed them when they were with me earlier in the year! My littlest one has also asked me if you have fairies that live there."

when these girls were in my yard, I went to get something, their mother was digging plants and one little girls was dancing around on the beach, the other was sitting very erect on one of the wooden benches. She said she was the queen of the garden. These children understood what I was trying to do with my garden. Some adults come here and say it is magical, these children played into the magic. It was getting dark and I told them they could bid the garden to become even more magical. They said the words that were indicated and I plugged in the twinkle lights. You should have seen their faces light up.

This was my response for her children.

"Yes, indeed I have seen some fairies in my yard. Some have introduced themselves. Fern is the oldest and wisest, she seems to watch over everyone, and make sure that the garden is in order. Ivy is quite lazy and prefers to lounge on the ground, especially in the shadows of plants. I don’t think she likes the heat, but I have never asked her, as most of the time, when I see her she is yawning, and either just getting up, contemplating another nap, or has sleep in her eyes, is annoyed and does not want to talk.

The dragon flies are back at the pond and they often perform for everyone that will watch, showing off with their acrobatic maneuvers, then dipping their tails in and splashing in this circular dance. I have not seen the huge dragon fly. I heard they are called tree toppers. I was sitting on the bridge one day and one of those dragon flies came out of the sky and nearly knocked me in the pond. No one believed me until we saw one come down and lay eggs. She must have been close to 12” wing tip to wing tip! They are called tree toppers because that is where they live. "

The bully bullfrog has brought a couple of his friends. Even though they are not my fondest of pond creatures, because I have heard they could eat my baby turtles, I still would not wish harm on them. I do love to watch them jump and dive. I should talk to Tilly the turtle and see if she might like to host a pond Olympics.

It was so funny, when I was taking out this huge portion of plants out of the pond it was so heavy my son had to come and help me. Then out of the blue...bully bullfrog jumped out! He hopped around the pond, and the foster black lab chased him, around the pond, over the bridge and then dove. The lab looked so sad. She sniffed around trying to figure out where on earth bully went.

Tears and in memory of family pets

I am often asked to create memorials for family pets, or at least sculptures to remind the owner of the love of a pet. If you remember I recently sculpted a little boy and dog, the boy whispering in his dogs ear. When the commission began I was touched when they said the dog was aging and they did not expect him to live long. I had to create the dog as part of the sculpture and did so at no charge. My client arrived at the studio yesterday and informed me the dog did indeed pass away a few weeks ago. She lovingly stroked the piece, attracted and looking at it even before she did her son. I could feel her sorrow. I identify. Her son is growing up, and this dog has been a part of his childhood. I'm going through something similar with my daughters cat of 16 years. I gave my daughter the cat when she was 6 or 7. (you don't really take into consideration, that when they grow up and move away after college you now have a cat)

Anyway...the cat is not well. I'm more attached to the cat because of what it represents as my daughter's childhood, then just the cat. The cat and I have both gone through our own struggles as my daughter left for college, and then moved away to Oklahoma. I guess we bonded as we each dealt with the loss, and our goodbyes and coming to terms with the new arrangement. We drew to each other in her absence.

I recently heard someone tell about how their childhood poodle helped them through the difficult times of growing up, through the alcoholism in the family and a divorce and that this poodle dying was so traumatic for them they never again had another pet. I on the other hand, foster dogs, work with shelters and at this point in my life I have two cats, two dogs, one of which is being fostered by us and has come through some horrible physical problems, two turtles and a bunch of fish in the pond, they pretty much take care of themselves and am now the feral cat lady as a mother cat found our house and dropped off her kittens, all 4 of them, which also brought two teenagers. I have no idea what to do with these cats, the shelters won't take them. I keep feeding them and trying to get them used to people, but something has to be done.

This is my life with cats and dogs and pets. No wonder my heart goes out to those commissions that includes the family pet.

Working on another 3D presentation

I have not received permission to blog about this little boy, I will say this. I am trying to create a 3D model and work with some sketches of a little boy. He is so adorable. This project is different from Jenna in that the child may not be created life size, but instead we are considering smaller child and as part of his headstone. If I am given permission to post I will. Please remember that working on a 3D model is new to me and I am just learning.

Finding a boy the correct size. This young boy is about 2 1/2. Bigger than my baby and not quite a little boy. That means I take either the baby and scale it up, or the little boy and scale it down. As we all know you cannot take a 6 year old and reduce them by a certain percentage and get a 2 1/2 year old. So either using the baby or the little boy I will be looking at the body parts and modeling them a bit differently to accommodate for a 2 1/2 year old child.

If you remember I am working from created models. I thought you might like to see what is available.For Jenna I used millennium baby from Daz 3D. I had ordered Baby moves, for Jenna, which has different poses. Once again it is much easier to take a pose and modify it to be what you want than to pose each limb and joint. I have opted for modifying the millennium baby instead of using a older 6 year old. I had also ordered moonbaby giving me options of clothes.

I feel like I am fumbling around in the computer trying to do this. But knowing how much it helped with Jenna I am determined.

Someday my nails will be clean.

When I am not sculpting I love to garden. There is so much that needs to be done, and I do hope to get the pond finished in the next few weeks. Something that has trailed on for years. "I am going to order my stone, I am going to order my stone." This is a mantra I must continue.

I decided to widen the pond, yes, they told me that this would happen years ago when I built it. They said I would continue to add. I'm also making a bog, and taking out many other plants in my yard to open it up a bit. What a lot of work. I sometimes wish I had someone to help, but my only companions is the foster dog Sam who chased the bullfrog from the plants that I pulled out of the old bog. It was so funny the two of them went around the pond and then right over the bridge!

It is so hot very hot outside in the Texas weather that when I need a break I come in and work on the wax of Jenna, and listen to the bible on tape. I'm supposed to be facilitating a Sunday school class on "read the bible in 90 days." The facilitator should keep up, and with my busy schedule bible on tape is the only way I have been able to do it.

I should run. I'm giving away more plants. That is my favorite thing about gardening. I love posting "I have plants" on the local forums. This time they are even dug up! when the sun finally sets, it will be me and Jenna, oh yes and a shower!

It feels funny not to be in the studio all day and night. I feel very guilty, but I do have clients coming and I need to get the yard spruced up!

I picked up the waxes of Jenna

Little wings, hands and toes! My apprentice and I will be working on these tonight. I had two waxes poured of Jenna, so there are lots of toes, hands and wings to clean. According to my contract with my client I have the rights to pour up to 9 more of these sculptures. I love the idea that Jenna will make other families happy. I won't make the other wax Jenna into a bronze until someone has ordered it, but I can put her together and keep her in the corner of my studio to watch over all of the coming and goings! It is a small enough piece that she will hold up quite nicely in wax.

Someone asked. " I am such a curious person, looking at the molten bronze going into Dick’s shells, just wondering what stops it from seeping out the vents like in the bottom of his shoes and the back of his head?"

The wax is coated with this ceramic shell both inside and out. The vents and sprues either bo back into another portion of the wax or up to the pouring cup. The only real opening is the pour cup. Sometimes a shell will break, and then it is back to pouring another wax, cleaning that wax, dipping it, burning it out and pouring. I have only had that happen once. Oh yes, and once the wrong metal was poured. But I have not had any mishaps like that in a while.
I'll post photographs later

There is nothing like molten bronze!

today I went to see the pour of pieces of the Dick Hathaway sculpture. Here you see them pouring the head, in the background are the some other parts of the sculpture. You could say Dick Hathaway has a hot foot.

Sculptor does a little dance!

I did a little dance when I dropped off the molds for Jenna. It was a long process and the studio is a mess. I will be picking up her waxes at the end of this week.

Richard Hathaway
Meanwhile I was able to take some pictures of Dick Hathaway, or at least pieces of him that have gone through the dip process. They are a bit different than the last pictures of the head.

Quite a shell around those wax pieces. If you have followed documentation process before you will note that inside these shells are the waxes. On Thursday the wax will be burned out of these shells until only a cavity remains. The molten bronze will be carefully poured within that cavity. The pour is scheduled for Thursday. I hope to get some good video footage of it for the upcoming video. I just love to watch a pour! There is something very entrancing about that glow!
I have posted the first video of the Dick Hathaway project before, but for those just joining us here it is again.


Jenna
Now for the explanation of the Jenna pictures. This is the same process that Dick Hathaway went through. Not for the faint of heart.
STEP ONE
The sculpture was divided up into sections to make it easier to create a mold and make it easier to cast. It is hard to believe that you go through all of the work to get the sculpture perfect and then have to cut it up.

STEP TWO
a white clay is used to make a seam around Jenna, otherwise referred to as "claying up" The seam is strategically placed to facilitate pulling the mold, and waxes that will come out of the mold.

STEP THREE
wax is brushed on coat after coat and then a mother mold of plaster. Once this is done the sculpture is flipped, the white clay taken off leaving that wonderful cream colored rubber. MOld release is sprayed on the rubber so that it will come apart and the entire other side is coated with rubber and plaster. Oh my the plaster make a mess.

STEP FOUR
when the mold is complete the original art is pulled from the mold, the mold is cleaned, but together for the foundry and shipped off, then the artist does a little happy dance in the foundry parking lot, just prior to going to lunch with a friend. A sculpture that went from conception to mold in 18 days. No wonder I am tired, but still dancing.

I tried! Could have done it with an apprentice

I missed the deadline, but it has been extended. I have been working diligently on the Jenna mold by myself, no apprentice. When it came to clean up I sure did miss her. Midway I ran out of material, found some old material and had to test it to be sure it would still have the chemical reaction that I needed it to. I'll bring her to the foundry on Tuesday. I have already decided to have two waxes poured. I'll clean one to go to metal and the second I'll put together and keep in the studio. It will be good to have her around.