Bas Relief Stone Carving

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

“Bas-relief” is a phrase that describes a very particular type of sculpture. “Bas” is a French word that means, “low” and an example of a bas relief is the relatively flat design on a coin. Before I knew any better, I used to refer (a bit derogatorily) to bas-relief as “Puffy Painting.” I had no interest in this particular form of art.

However, many years ago, I took a workshop with famed sculptor Eugene Daub in Colorado. We sculpted “in the round” for three days and then studied relief sculpting techniques during the last two days. He laughed at my “Puffy Painting” comment and then proceeded to show me the error in my thinking. Relief, whether “bas” or a high relief (more 3-dimensional), is not simply ‘puffy.’ Relief sculpture is a compression of form. So the “puffiness” has a rather specific shape.

Part of the beauty of relief sculpture is that a sculptor has more opportunity to create an environment, as painters do. Many drawing elements are used, such as perspective and foreshortening. However, since reliefs are still sculpture, and not a truly 2-dimensional art, drawing skills are not enough. I find relief sculpting very challenging because of this compression of form. I have since created several reliefs in plastilina (oil- or water-based clay) for casting into bronze. See the bronze sculpture “Rehearsal” with a colored patina, included here.

But recently, I accepted a commission to create my first relief in stone. That “upped the ante” in that once removed, I will not get to add the material back. The commission is to create a Gable Stone, such as is made in Amsterdam for a private home in Houston, Texas, USA. Gable Stones are placed in an exterior wall of a home, typically near the entryway. They identify the occupants of the homes in some way, but are more personal than a Coat of Arms.

I have been quite active on Facebook lately and started a Fan Page to help me meet others who are interested in art. I will be showing the progress of this Gable Stone project on the Fan Page, so if you are interested in seeing this as live as I know how to make it, please consider becoming a FAN by clicking on the link below. (You must have a FREE Facebook account first, I think.)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelly-Borsheim-sculptor/93575697280?ref=mf

I will not be posting any more images of this work-in-progress (like the one below) on this blog or on my Web site, until after the sculpture is complete.
Thank you for your interest!

And, of yes, this is a Texas limestone . . .

October is National Arts and Humanities Month

Life as One of the Madonnari Italian Street Painters

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Thanks to one of my long-time art newsletter readers and blog supporter, artist Jeanne Rhea, I have been invited to speak in Raleigh, North Carolina during my travels in October.

Here goes:

The Carolina Mixed Media Art Guild is hosting Texas and Florence, Italy-based artist Kelly Borsheim for a presentation titled "My Life as One of the 'Madonnari' (Italian street painters)"

When: October 15, 2009, start = 7 p.m.
Where: Artspace
201 E Davie Street
Raleigh, North Carolina
Details: $5 for members of VAE, Artspace or CMMAG. All others are $7.
Open to the public. Bring a friend and enjoy a bit of Italy right here in Raleigh

The talk will include topics about creating temporary public art, including a few techniques and tips about street performing. Kelly will share images and stories of her experiences recreating art masterpieces from the Italian Renaissance and other periods of time and place. She will tell you some of the more humorous experiences with tourists, journalists, cops, and the Italian government. And, Kelly will show you the work of many other street painters from her first competition in southern Italy.

Read Jeanne’s blog here: http://artfortheheart.blogspot.com

Art Model Handbook

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I wrote last time about trying to change the world through figurative art. To do this, I depend on others – collaborators, if you will. Each of us is unique and we all express ourselves with our bodies. People carry their bodies differently, sculpting them as they desire, moving in a way that exhibits their true thoughts. Some of us appear to do this without effort, while others go to great lengths to create their own looks.

Although there is a part of me in each of my artworks, I depend on art models. I prefer to celebrate the beauty of the individual and work with as many people as I can. Because of this, I receive a lot of inquiries from people interested in becoming a work of art and have set up an information page about modeling for artists. Generally, art models works alone. While the artists who hire them can help, it is not the same as being trained by someone who personally knows the work.

Finally, there is a book created specifically for art models by an art model, Andrew Cahner. The Art Model's Handbook: The Naked Truth about Posing for Art Classes and Fine Artists is now available for only $16.95 via this site and Amazon.com (thank you for your help by supporting my blogging time and images)

This book is a great resource. Andrew defines art terms so a novice to the art world can walk into a studio feeling confident. He describes the classroom situation, as well as what it is like to work privately for fine artists. This very experienced art model tells you what to bring to a drawing session, how to come up with interesting poses, and what artists or art instructors are usually looking for. He also discusses photography, security, nudity concerns and costumes, and gives you resources on where to find work as an art model.

I am also honored because Andrew has included many images of artist’s work and our words, including my bronze “Against the Dying of the Light,” in which I hired three different models after I did my initial clay sketch from my imagination.

My favorite section of the book contains interviews with long-term professional art models. Andrew Cahner even interviewed the female model that changed the TV world when she became the first to pose truly nude on a television show! (Your hint is that it was on a well-known science-fiction show.)

Also of interest to artists and models is that on the Art Model’s Web site, there is a page listing Figure Drawing Open Studios, Workshops, and Continuing Education Classes in the United States and Canada. Use that page to find work or to draw wherever you happen to be! I look forward to accessing this page when I am traveling and needing to draw.

Really, this resource: it is about time!

The Art Model's Handbook: The Naked Truth about Posing for Art Classes and Fine Artists (Paperback)
by Andrew Cahner (Author)

Change the World

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I do not think I fully understood that I wanted to change the world (and in what way) until about eight years ago. Like most transitions perhaps, mine was a long, slow process, a series of events more than one life-altering one. I was thinking about this recently because someone sent me a quote (and true to my nature, I remember the concept, not the details) that said something to the effect that when a creative person is told “No,” it only motives her to work harder.

Does a person start out by thinking, “I will change the world”? I suspect we each just do what we feel passionately about until the path of past action leads to a clearly focused and more aware future. In my case, I loved creating art of the human form. Years ago, I could not put words to why I was doing what I was doing. But almost every composition I designed involved anatomy – truly the Grand Design and so worthy of respect and admiration.

However, my work has been barred from being exhibited in many places. I often heard the rule “No nudes!” Period. No argument. Although the public seemed enthusiastic about the “classiness” of my nudes when they were seen, many times I was not even given the opportunity to show my work to try to make it an exception to the rule.

Normally the person telling me this would say, “I personally do not have any problems with nudes, but my boss . . . (or the public - some faceless entity I could never speak with) made the decision in fear of a complaint . . .” In 2002, after hanging my exhibit, I was told, “It is against the law for us to censure your work, but we would like you to consider that 1, 2, and 3 (3 specific artworks named, all male nudes) might offend children who enter.” In other words, please censure yourself on the artworks that we are concerned about.

So, now, I know. I want to change the world. Corny but true: love can do this. Art is one of the ways in which we should be safe to explore our humanity. Shame and embarrassment are often misused. I am not depicting violence or hateful ideas. And I need to use the nude human form to remind us of the better qualities in ourselves. Here is my bronze titled “Infinite Love,” a composition of two human figures embedded inside of the mathematical symbol for Infinity. Enjoy.

Limestone and a Big Moth

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Today (yesterday now) I went to the Boneyard of Continental Cut Stone in Florence, Texas, to pick up a specifically cut piece of Cordova Crème limestone for my latest commission. It was unusually cold and windy. I guess the Fall Equinox did not wish to arrive unnoticed. And it was raining most of the morning, which is wonderful. Since sculpting was not likely to happen, it was a good day for me to run this errand and hope for a less-wet tomorrow.

The stone quarry is actually several hours away from Florence. The Boneyard is where the stone is cut for use by sculptors, but mostly contractors and builders. It is not unusual for natural stone to either not meet the specs of certain construction projects (holes/embedded shells/distracting grain lines) or get broken or cut wrong. In these cases, the less-than-perfect stone is set out in the Boneyard for people like me. I love searching there for unusual shapes and architectural treasures that I can use as a starting point for a stone carving.

I wanted to share a few images I snapped off today as I walked around the Boneyard. The last time I was here was when I met my friend Vasily Fedorouk on the access road of the IH-35 turnoff to Florence. He had just driven down from Chicago to teach a workshop at my place. We went “shopping” together to pick out the limestone we would supply our students. It was a fun day.

The purple thistle that you see here is an unusual variety (to me anyway). I found the purple and grey combination to be a bit irresistible today.


And to my delight, I saw this large yellow moth on a pile of cut stone tiles. Their bodies are bigger than locusts! Because I tend to leave open all the doors and windows of my home and studio for as long as I can every day, I often see a brown moth enter my kitchen and studio this time of year. But I had yet to see an obviously yellow one. I included my hand in the image so that you can clearly make out his size. Cool huh?



I also saw some pink limestone. It reminded me of someone’s strawberry poundcake. I was tempted to bite into it, but I generally do not prefer the taste of limestone. Too bad all I saw were these tiles and blocks too large for me to carry home on this day. But, hmmmm, it was a curious and yummy sight!

Madonnari Street Painting Italy Art Lecture

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Just a quick note to invite you to a short art lecture that I will be giving this Sunday around noon in Austin, Texas.
The topic is “My Life as One of the Madonnari (Street Painters in Italy)”

I will share images and stories of my experiences recreating art masterpieces from the Italian Renaissance and other periods of time and place. I will tell you some of the more humorous experiences with tourists, journalists, cops, and the Italian government. And, I will show you the work of many other street painters from my first competition in southern Italy.

The talk officially runs from noon until about 1:30 this Sunday. There will be at least one other speaker, artist Melanie Hickerson. I am looking forward to meeting her. I hope you will, too.

While you are there, check out the exhibit of over 65 artworks by artists in Austin’s groovin’ art scene.

"The 32nd Anniversary Exhibit & Reunion" (group exhibit)
Austin Visual Arts Association (AVAA)
Julia C. Butridge Gallery in the Dougherty Arts Center
1110 Barton Springs Road
Austin, Texas 78704 USA

Visit my art exhibition calendar.

P.S. We are still looking for a digital projector to help me easily display images from my Acer laptop. If you have one I may borrow, please contact me. Thank you.

Pastel Art Florence Italy

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

When I worked as a madonnara in Florence, Italy, there was always that start-up time while I prepared the street to accept my drawing for the day. I generally arrived with my backpack of pastels and other supplies and immediately set to work. And I would study my chosen composition for the day and examine the street space I would work in to determine where I wanted to position the face(s) in the drawing, trying to avoid holes or other textures that might be unappealing for my art. Then I would measure out the space and get started.

This is a necessary, but not particularly visually appealing part of my “performance.” However, I became fascinated watching other kinds of street performers do their preparation. Many of the more colorful artists do not want to wear their costumes from and to their homes when performing in centro. And so, they transform on-site in various ways.

You may remember that back in May 2009, I wrote about my friend “gReY, il mimo” I first noticed him outside of the Loggia dei Lanzi and Uffizi Galleria in 2006 while he was in transition from man to mime. And I could not get the image out of my head.

I guess I was always a sucker for a man in red shoes. And what color gReY wore that day against the stones of Florence!

Allora, I am thrilled to introduce you to my newest pastel painting:

“Il Mimo – Firenze, Italia”
16” x 12”
Pastel on PastelBord
$950 + $20 shipping (anywhere) + sales tax (6.75% in Texas only)

And a follow-up October 23, 2009:
Wow -- the judges awarded this pastel painting a position of finalist:
FineArtViews Painting Competition Winners (September 2009)
(http://contest.fineartstudioonline.com/winners/11)
cool, huh?