Sculpting clay is very therapeutic and fun. You don’t need experience. I have seen people in my classes, workshops, and sculpting parties who could not believe what they accomplished. All you need is to immerse yourself in the process. It is a unique experience.
Forming the clay allows for a deep connection between creator and creation. Your hands will smell like clay and the clay will carry your fingerprints. Your fingers communicate with the clay as in a silent conversation. In the process the clay may get stubborn and hard to mold, but with water it becomes soft again. Sometimes little pebbles get mixed in the clay. You need to remove them before they ruin the piece. When the piece is complete you will be proud of the result.
Your life is like clay. God is the sculptor. He is sculpting life in you. He is immerse in the process of forming your life and seeking a deeper connection with you. He is leaving his fingerprints on you and keeping your smell on his hands. Don’t fear or reject the tears that are softening your heart for him to continue working. Let him remove those painful pebbles of the past that left scars in your life. I assure you that at the end, no matter how imperfect you think you are, for Him you are his masterpiece.
I began playing with vines, leaves, and the figure resting within in a new relief. In the process I remembered this old sketch. I didn’t date it but I believe it is about 12-15 years old. It seems like that image was in my subconscious waiting the right time to reveal itself.
The new collection is building on those elements. This new piece not yet casted or named is among the first pieces to integrate the elements of the sketch. The past and the future come together. It is interesting to see how it develops. It is my hope to have a new white marble collection ready for show in the fall of 2015.
Meanwhile as I work on new pieces it is always fun and refreshing to look back at those old sketchbooks. They are a treasure chest of ideas in expectation. Even those doodles we often think are useless could become a piece of art someday. No idea is lost. We just have to look at the past with new eyes and focus on the future.
Close your eyes and imagine your show. Live the moment. It is like a party. Envision how your art is displayed, how people move around to see your art, what they are eating and drinking, the background music… Visualize every detail. Now, lets prepare to show our work.
I prefer to take care of most aspects of my shows myself instead of putting it in the hands of other people. I do surround myself with people I trust to help me shape the scene and to alleviate my burden. Seek their advice, listen to their opinion, but most importantly understand their support. Make sure is people who can take care of things without prompting. Otherwise you will add unnecessary stress to yourself.
I want to share with you my experience and my process to present an art exhibit. I believe that “TORSOS” opening reception Saturday, November 22 is going to be by far, my largest yet. I am not an expert in how to organize an art exhibit but I’ve been learning and I hope to get better at it. I will appreciate your input and experience. On Saturday, I would love to shake your hand and probably give you a hug (I’m a hugger and not sorry for that). You can find the info about the show HERE.
How to prepare for your show? While there are many intricacies in presenting an art exhibit this checklist might help you get started. Before you decide you want to have an art exhibit you need to be ready with a few things.
Short biography
Artist Statement
Description of the show
10-20 pieces to show.
Word of Advise: Make sure the amount of pieces fits the venue. You don’t want your show to look like a flea market.
Venue, Date and Time of the show.
I try to have this at least 3 months in advance. That time allows for you to prepare and promote properly.
Check the place and visualize your work there, the show, make the initial vision come to life.
Write a press release.
There are plenty of examples and templates online in how to write a press release. If you have someone to do it for you is fine. Some people charge to write press releases. I prefer to write it myself then ask other people to edit whatever necessary.
Design printed material: invitations, posters, postcards, etc.
Again, if you can’t do it yourself someone else can do it. I design my own printed material. It makes me feel closer to the show.
Promote! Promote! Promote! My mom would say: “Invite even the cat.”
Use your printed material, mailing lists, online media, social media, word of mouth, tell your friends to bring friends… anything that can being people to your show.
Decide on food and drinks
Keep it simple to the extent possible unless someone else wants to pay for it. You can also ask for sponsors or wine tastings to be present. The possibilities are endless and it all depends on your budget and preferences.
Set up ahead of time
Heads up! There will be a lot of stress on getting ready. Go over your plan and check every detail. Pretend you are a guest and go through all of it. Be flexible to changes that won’t change the overall look and feel of the show. There are things not deserving the stress.
Be ready to enjoy the people celebrating you and your work, make new connections, be ready to answer any questions that could be presented, and have fun. It is your party!
I’m generally inspired first by the pose. The theme, subject, or name of the piece come at the end when the piece is already finished. Most of my pieces get a “name” or “title” when I list it. Like a child you are just waiting last minute for a sign of the perfect name. I start with the pose. The title will come.
The first step is to create a wire armature with the pose to hold the modeling clay. The sculpting begins. I like to apply the modeling clay as if I was covering bone (the wire) with muscles, tendons, and flesh. It is a lot of fun to work on the muscles and the details of the skin, the bones showing a little, the tension and the relaxation of the position. Those little details make a huge impact in a sculpture. I like to add a little craziness around the piece. It is part of my style.
When the sculpture is done, it s not really done. Modeling clay never hardens. The second part of the sculpting process begins: the mold. I use liquid rubber and then keep it together with either plaster or some kind of fiberglass material. I used plaster for this. Once the mold is ready, which is a negative holding all the details of the piece, I discard of the original and reuse the material (I can hear you screaming right now). Casting is next. For this piece I used construction cement. Once dry it is concrete (just technicalities of the terms). I could cast in other materials as well: bonded marble, bonded bronze, etc. It is what is called cold cast. The final process is to prepare for display. it is when color and final texture is applied. And done! In the video on this page you can see glances of this process. You can also watch it in youtube.
When I looked at the final piece I thought about victory. It was like the piece saying: “I made it! I conquered! I reached my goal!” So I gave it a title accordingly: Accession. It can be defined as atteinment or acquisition, as in reaching or achieving a position or rank of power. I believe it fits. Accession is displayed at The Gallery at Elemar, New haven, CT and available. The Gallery at Elemar is the host for the show TORSOS and the reception is Saturday, November 22, 6-9pm. You are invited!
That is one interesting question. Each day is different. I invite you to visit my mind when I am working with a sculpture. First, from the idea to the final product it is like time travel. I have to see it finished before I begin and it is a constant back and forward in this process. Form! I work with the human body. When I look at the naked figure I see forms. The structure of the body is complex but simple at the same time if you look at the body as basic shapes joined together by skin. Lines, volume, the effects of light, the shadows it produces, the foldings of the skin based on the position of the body, the bone structure trying to show itself under the skin, the rhythm of the pose… May I continue?
The body becomes inspiration. No, I do not see the body as a sexual object when I work. There are also some angles and positions I do not like… I’m not that kind of doctor. I like to see the body as a tool to express emotions that are not often articulated. I want the figure to communicate directly to the viewer. No explanation needed if they can speak to each other soul to soul.
Through all that, while I sculpt, I could be watching a documentary, listening to music, chatting, checking my Instagram and my Facebook, considering my life situation, planing other pieces, thinking about my next show or sculpting party, figuring out my agenda, and tons of jokes that I’ll probably never say in public.
If you want to ask me about more specific questions go ahead.
I began playing with vines, leaves, and the figure resting within in a new relief. In the process I remembered this old sketch. I didn’t date it but I believe it is about 12-15 years old. It seems like that image was in my subconscious waiting the right time to reveal itself.
The new collection is building on those elements. This new piece not yet casted or named is among the first pieces to integrate the elements of the sketch. The past and the future come together. It is interesting to see how it develops. It is my hope to have a new white marble collection ready for show in the fall of 2015.
I want to share with you my experience and my process to present an art exhibit. I believe that 
Sculpting Life
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