Teaching Sculpture in Oil-based Clay

I love teaching sculpture—a very direct and tactile, hands-on medium of art. Thirty years ago, I was mentored by a gifted stone carver, Jane Armstrong. After carving stones under her guidance, I had a change of direction. I wished to create more open forms such as figures, animals, and birds in motion. I was also bothered by the dust from stones, despite wearing a mask. My teacher said: “You should consider becoming a bronze sculptor, but you need to learn how to build armatures. I do not have the knowledge to teach you that skill.” I set about to learn on my own. I developed a system of making armatures out of common plumbing parts and various wires, the necessary supporting structure for oil-based clay modeling and casting in bronze and or other materials. Various thicknesses of wire are strung through nipples and T-malls all of which are connected to a working board. Artists began to ask me to teach them my system of armature construction and clay modeling, and my teaching began.

Workshops

Today, as always, my four-day sculpture workshops are tailored to the individual student. I allow and encourage each student to create whatever subject matter inspires them. Most students elect to sculpt animals or figures, but occasionally a portrait, or an abstract or bas relief. The variety of projects being constructed simultaneously provides a great teaching tool. Each morning we walk around the studio and discuss progress and problems associated with every work, learning from each. In the workshop, we discuss armature design and construction, how to build up oil-based clay upon the frame, use of planes to capture light and shadow, creation of good negative space, simplification, and, very importantly, illusion of movement which makes the work come “alive” to the viewer. At the end of a four-day workshop the studio is filled with many different completed sculptures ready for casting.

I limit my workshops to twelve students welcoming beginners as well as advanced students. I have taught students ages twelve to ninety in past workshops. As another teaching tool, I have on my home page a video that follows the making of my bronze moose, showing the entire process from armature construction through patina of the bronze. I encourage my students to view the video and also hope that all readers of this newsletter, artists and art lovers, will enjoy and learn from it.

On a personal note:

Two of my bronze horses, Cavalla Volante (Flying Mare) and Vermont Morgan were accepted in June into an international online exhibition, “Light, Space, Time.” Cavalla Volante was named among the top ten sculptures in the exhibition.

And Vermont Morgan received an “Honorable Mention” in this exhibition.

Wishing you a happy summer,

Elaine