Reflections on Installing Holy Family

As I sat in the Works of Mercy Chapel at St. Thomas More Catholic Church and looked out the window at my Holy Family sculpture, I could hardly believe it was finished. Since February, this commission has been my primary focus in the studio. It was a very challenging sculpture for many reasons, but at this point, I was overwhelmed with joy, so grateful that I get to sculpt, and that I had the privilege of creating a sculpture about something that means so much to me. I was pleased by the way it fit into that space and how the color of the patina worked with the beautiful stained glass window behind it. I was delighted to meet some of the people at the parish. I'm thankful for my friends and family who encouraged me and prayed for me, and so grateful to God.

I learned a great deal this year and overcame a number of challenges to create this piece.

The Physical Challenge
A sculpture this large requires hundreds of pounds of clay, and I had to adapt to that physical reality. I designed and built sculpting tables which I elevated with a hydraulic lift, to keep the sculpture at a comfortable height and to allow me to move the pieces around the studio. Especially difficult was softening the pounds of clay and applying it–handful by handful–to the figures.

The Gestures of the Figures
This sculpture involves three figures in relationship to one another, and this presented a real challenge in terms of designing an adequate armature (the inner aluminum and steel).

Enlarging the Scale
Even though I mathematically enlarged the sculpture from an 18" maquette (model),  I had to approach the larger version as a new sculpture. For example, the degree of detail that works at 18 inches may not work at 54 inches.

The Foundry Process
The casting process was more difficult in a larger scale, especially with the minimal form and complex texture of this sculpture. The American Fine Arts Foundry had to develop a new combination of bronze chasing techniques in order to match the texture at the welding seams, and they created a custom patina for me.

Remote Installation
While the installation location is often a far distance from the foundry, some of the decisions regarding the positioning of the figures couldn’t be made without seeing the sculpture in the actual space. Only in the final hours was the final vision for this sculpture finally realized.

In spite of these great challenges, the project came to a beautiful conclusion. I see a Master Designer overseeing this journey and bringing a meaningful work of art to life.