What is it that carries your work? (surface pattern and form)

[edie heller <edieh@zzzzzzzzzzzzz>]

hi everyone - this has been a very interesting thread and has made me
see some things about the few pieces i've sculpted (about 12 pieces in
my lifetime) ...
my 1st experience w/marble was in the early 70's at the U of Maryland -
had this odd stone sculptor professor who only wore liedderhosen (sp?)
to class and commuted from ncy - i adored him and hate the fact that i
can't remember this name - basically he gave us a piece of white marble
(mine had faint grey veining), showed us how to use tools (only hand
tools at the time) and said "go for it" but don't be so wedded to your
concept that you can't change the piece if the stone breaks - he really
encouraged us to "see what's inside the stone" and free it out - i
sculpted a rounded, flowing form (maybe a torso w/no arms?) which came
to me primarily by following the few veins in the stone -  my piece
turned out not too bad for a 1st and stills sits at the foot of my
parent's fireplace (fortunately parents can be so undiscerning) ...

years and years later, in a pietrasanta marble carving workshop (an
experience which quite literally changed my life),  i decided to do a
female torso and was lucky enough to find a gorgeous life sized block
of white carrara with just the faintest grey veining - the shape of my
piece was dictated by the direction of the veining, so that it enhanced
the position and flow of the work (you can see it at
http://www.artworksdowntown.org/visit.html ).

3 years later back in the states, a woman saw the piece and we had
several meetings and conversations as she was looking for just that
type of work (her house, and art collection, had burned in the oakland
hills fire, and the insurance proceeds were paying to rebuild the
house, and their art collection).   i was thrilled at the prospect of
selling my 1st piece, and yet strangely hesitant to part with her.
consequently i asked for a considerable sum, given that i'm a "no
name", and the woman agreed.  weeks later she called to cancel the sale
because her husband had commissioned a known artist to sculpt a female
torso exactly to their requirements.  i was slightly disappointed, but
happy to keep my first realistic sculpture to myself.  she called me
again 2 years later, said both she & her husband hated their
commissioned piece, and wanted to know if mine was still available.
she invited me to their house and see where she wanted to place my
figure (in her entryway, under a perfect natural skylight w/additional
directional wall lighting).  she took me to their den, and behind a
large rocking chair (upon which sat her curmudgeonly husband who barely
said hello) was hidden their "commissioned" female torso.  it was
totally different than mine, more the size of a large male torso, in
the historic greek tradition, quite bulky and rather squarish (could
definitely feel the shape of the original stone from which it came) and
masculine, with random and extremely ugly rust veining most prominent
at the stomach and pubic area, upon which the artist decided to sculpt
large curly-cued pubic hairs (in the helenic style?) - my apologies to
the artist but the effect was truly ugly and almost lewd.  they bought
my piece (i now asked for $2k more) and asked me to select a proper
pedestal and install it.  i know i'm being very long-winded, but the
point is that my piece was sculpted to follow the stone and at the same
time convey a graceful female torso - his piece appears to have been
sculpted without consideration of the stone and looked like it had been
done just for the  money, and not for the love of art or sculpting.

so i guess i could say that my pieces are done from two different
perspectives - sometimes i have an idea in mind, and then select what i
hope will be just the right marble (as in the torso above) - at other
times i find a stone that i absolutely positively must carve, and then
come up with an idea that will blend with the stone.  currently one of
the pieces i'm working on was designed specifically for this incredibly
gorgeous, and very very old italian giallo sienna with the most amazing
purple veining (sad to say no longer available anywhere) - the original
stone was only about 16" tall and unevenly oblong, and only 6" deep
(much smaller than i usually work) - there's quite a bit of veining, so
my figure is simple and fluid with the veining running up and down the
form - it's not yet finished, nor polished, but i keep wetting the
marble as i work so that i can keep track of the veins - my hope is
that it will be a perfect wedding of marble and form.

i apologize for running on so long - this is probably why i don't
contribute much as it seems i can't keep things clear and concise when
it comes to discussing marble sculpture ...

now i can't wait to get back in the studio - regards to all ... edie

On Feb 26, 2005, at 5:34 AM, Bob Hackett wrote: