It is always a true pleasure when the opportunity arises to see firsthand the work of a renowned sculptor that has made his mark on American Art History.  David Smith is just that person with his metal sculptures from the 30′s, 40′s, 50′s and even into the 60′s.  Collaborating first with Picasso,  then taking the welded pieces to whole new levels within the Abstract Expressionist generation of which he belonged.  Smith was a prolific sculptor and an artist to truly be inspired by.  By the end of the 1940′s and early 50′s when the Abstract Expressionism era was reaching its inevitable romantic endpoint, Smith continued to explore the shapes and figures of three dimensionality.  His sculptures are now considered a turning point in American sculpture, from figurative to contemporary.  The St. Louis Art Museum is fortunate to have 2 fairly large stainless steel David Smiths in their grand entry.  What a great way to start a museum tour by standing next to a David Smith!

Comments (0) Feb 22 2012

Not as much as the 15 ton of illegal drugs that was confiscated this last week!  There’s a number that can’t even be fathomed!  The first step to estimating the weight of a large scale sculpture is to look at the materials are being utilized and the quantity.  Then it’s just basic math.  A 4×8 sheet of 10 gauge stainless steel weighs 181 lbs so if a 6 foot sculpture utilizes 2 sheets – 382 lbs.  As the sculptures become larger, the material needs to be of a heavier gauge for strength and support.  Also, the larger the sculpture, the more internal support must be used and all of a sudden the weight starts to add up in a hurry.  “Sailing Into The Sky” at 11 feet in height is only 280 lbs.  On the other hand, “Playing Ball”

"Playing Ball" with Kevin and Bobo

"Sailing Into The Sky"

at 16 feet is 770 lbs.  The bottom line is that it’s nearly impossible to guess the exact weight of any sculpture that is one of a kind and hand fabricated;  the design, the size, the cut outs, the angles that bend into one another  play a role in the final weight.  It’s easy to estimate, difficult to calculate exactly, so each sculpture needs to be weighed upon completion.

Comments (0) Feb 13 2012

A maquette is often required for a public art project, and rightly so.  Any time the public is acquiring a piece of art work the public has the right, and obligation, to know exactly what it will be receiving for its monies, and this is just the reason there are so many meetings, committees and processes established.  Enter the maquette – a three dimensional sculpture upon itself.  Will a maquette guarantee what the final sculpture will look like?  Not necessarily.  A maquette in one size doesn’t necessarily translate to a larger size.  It requires the artist to oversee every aspect of the building of the larger, final sculpture to assure the “look” he is envisioning.  A truly awesome sculpture will have the feel and emotion of the artist as part of its very being, and these ethereal aspects aren’t always translated from small to large.  It takes the experienced, fully engaged, artist to tweak here and tweak there to assure the true beauty of the final, installed sculpture.

Comments (0) Feb 06 2012