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Siberian Tiger in the Snow 2.0
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- Category: Sculptures
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
- William Blake
I was never happy with my first attempt at a Siberian Tiger. As a matter of fact, I am never totally happy with any of my work - but I digress. My first tiger was loosely based on several stock photos, and in the end my research was inadequate in many ways. I also applied the stripes using my imagination and sense of what it should look like, that it wasn't until I was done that I realized they were too evenly spaced and dense compared to actual tiger stripes. With 2.0, I based my sculpture on just (2) Getty stock photos of Siberian (Amur) tigers in the snow: one for the overall pose, and the other for the details of the head. I also searched for several months for glazes of the right shade, but decided that I'd rather give it my best shot at acrylic paint. My thanks again to the Ceramic Art Studio and Shop. (And yes, there will be a version 3.0 at some point, as well as a 2.0 of the White Tiger.)
Wet clay model
Osumosan - The Sumo Wrestler
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- Category: Sculptures
The Japanese sport of sumo wrestling originated as a Shinto ritual and evolved during the mid 16th century into the form the world is familiar with today. The imposing physique of a sumosan, in addition to the traditional hair style, is quite distinctive and unique to that sport alone - there is no mistaking a sumo wrestler from other athletes! And while there are no weight classifications (and therefore no limits) in Japanese sumo, the mass differential is not always a deciding factor in a bout. Speed, balance, and strategy are also key elements that make the contests so fascinating to watch. My thanks again to the Ceramic Art Studio and Shop.
Wet clay model
Celestial Maiden
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- Category: Sculptures
Celestial maidens can be found in the folklores of almost every culture. In Asia, the Hindu and Buddhist traditions have influenced common elements into the heavenly maidens of India (Asparas: अप्सरा), China (Feitian: 飞天), Japan (Tennyo: 天女), and Korea (Seonnyeo: 선녀). These beings all typically possess great beauty, magical abilities, and the power of flight using special garments (without which they are grounded, making for some interesting folktales). Their western counterparts can be angels, fairies, or even valkyries, depending on their role within a specific folktale or belief system. My sculpture is based on the Korean Seonnyeo with the telltale double ringlets of hair, and her face was modeled after actress Kelly Hu. My thanks again to the Ceramic Art Studio and Shop.
Wet Clay Model
Ixchel - Mayan Goddess
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- Category: Sculptures
Ixchel is the Mayan goddess of midwifery, fertility, and medicine. The ancient Maya were a highly advanced civilization, particularly in their understanding of the solar system and mathematics. I've always wanted to sculpt a Mesoamerican deity but found the depictions, most of which are based on Spanish codices, very difficult to interpret visually. After some research, I chose Ixchel to sculpt as her iconography is fairly consistent: snake atop her head, sometimes pouring water, and sometimes depicted as a young or old woman. As an added homage to this beautiful Mayan goddess, I based her facial features on stock images of actual women from the Yucatan peninsula (the hub of the ancient Mayan civilization). Incidentally, I later learned through an Instagram colleague that one of the sculptures that I had used as reference is located in Isla Mujeres (The Island of Women) in Mexico. There is even a temple dedicated to her there (Templo De La Diosa Ixchel) which I hope to visit someday. My thanks again to the Ceramic Art Studio and Shop.
Wet clay model (greenware)
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