Heidi,

What a beautiful, strong piece. Notwthstanding the excellence of the work itself, the fact that you have chosen to depict a religious image as a real, substantial, and believable individual makes your interpretation unique and powerful.

Interesting comment about the color you chose - I tend to think of sculpture as sort of achromatic, but that is so very wrong. Do you consider the color of the light that the sculpture will be viewed under? Especially since the relief would be mounted on the wall, rather than (I would think) on a stand?

Chris,
Thank you for your kind and thoughtful comments.
You bet the direction, intensity, and type of light has a huge impact on the color. Some finishes look very nice in indoor light, but take them outside and they are ghastly, and vice-versa. This is an indoor wall hanging, but it will also be displayed outside for the Carefree show coming up, so I need to find finishes that look OK under both lightings. Not an easy task.

I would have gone with a bone white. I don't think it needs color. The met sells a reproduction of the pieta head by Michaelangelo that's bone white and it's very elegant. As a painter that deals with color I use color where it's needed and never for it's own sake. I think you don't need it. Just my two cents worth.

Right you are Marvin,
But here, I am not starting with a white canvas, I am starting with a bronze one and making it white is just another color option for me. I had it white at one point, but did not like it with the bronze highlights. I am planning on casting the third one so that it comes out of the mold white, and I will just add a bone white wax to give it luster. I agree that white would be the most elegant finish here, so thanks for reinforcing that notion.

Dear Heidi,

Once again you have an exquisite sculpture just resonating with humanity, and brimming with appeal. I think this is a winner. Here is a Mary who seems to be pondering the implications and challenges she is to face in life. What can I say; I'm a Presbyterian (no focus upon Mary, or saints intervening in our liturgy) and I am moved! I love the first version's patina.

Just beautiful, poetic, and universally appealing (in any season)!

Garth

Heidi

You have done it again. Simply, a very stunning piece!

Garth, thanks again for such eloquent words - and Ngaire, thank you too and especially for your comments on the Feat piece. You both leave me speachless.
I also grew up Presbyterian Garth, so I suppose this is just my interpretation as an outsider of what she might have been like.

Well, this will be the third and final casting for the show. It is ivory, but hard to get the color right in this photo.

Heidi,

I too kind of grew up this way, but I think she must look like all us moms, including Linda!

I really love this, but just to upset you :sunnysmil I liked the patina you posted first the best! It just feels right and not "commercially casted" which the ivory can look like sometimes. But then it could be the JPEG image.

You are so talented, have we told you that yet?

Beth

Heidi,

I'm glad you took my suggestion because this is my favorite finish by far. It is much more elegant than the others.

I would equate the finish on a sculpture with the frame on a canvas. Sometimes a painting needs a complex frame to help "dress" it up and complete it in order to give it a certain presence. However at other times, the simplest of frames is all that's needed to set a painting off and let it shine on it's own merit.

The ivory finish is your simple frame. It allows the viewer the opportunity to be one with a beautiful and emotional piece of art. Less, in my experience, very often turns out to be much more.

Thanks Beth - and you're probably right. I would bet that this is the expression I wear on my face when I think about my kids. Since they no longer live with me, I can't help but worry and wonder about them all the time.

Glad you like the ivory Marvin and that's true what you say. Sometimes I complicate things more than is neccessary. On the other hand, what appeals to one person may or may not appeal to another, so it's good that I am offering a variety of finishes on this piece.