Strengthened by Family

From September 21 until November 2nd, I had the pleasure of attending Eureka Springs School of Arts Fall Residency. During my time at ESSA, I sculpted life-sized portraits of two aunts, an oversized portrait measuring 22inches in height as well as small heads for a student workshop. I made plaster molds of the life-size portraits of my aunts using two different techniques. Having plaster molds allowed me unlimited opportunity to experimented with multiples. This residency gave me the opportunity to ask the ” What if…?” questions.

For the portrait of my aunt, Cristiana, I used a crack technique for the plaster mold I learned at an Anderson Ranch workshop led by Hae Won Sohn. This process allows you to pour plaster once and then saw and crack the mold apart to create the seams.

With the complexity of the hair for my aunt, Elisabetta, I used a traditional mold technique creating multiple parts I learned while at an Alfred Summer Month long Intensive workshop.

I was intrigued by the limestone found abundantly on campus and throughout the Ozarks. I pushed bits and limestone chunks onto the clay but was not satisfied with the results. Ultimately, I incorporated limestone as part of the figure creating the form for the torso which mimics the artificial limestone clouds seen in the sunsets offered by the view at ESSA’s Common House porch.

Images of some of the works presented at the ESSA Gallery exhibitions at the conclusion of the residency.