2012 Sculpture Workshops
With the establishment of the Carroll A. Campbell, Jr. Center for American Sculpture in 2004, Brookgreen Gardens extended its educational reach to a broader audience with workshops in sculpture and drawing under the tutelage of nationally known sculptors throughout the year. Students are attracted by the caliber of the teachers and by the opportunity to learn within the Brookgreen environment.
Email sculpture@brookgreen.org for more information.
March 5-9 'Sculpting the Truth with Simon Kogan' $650 plus material and model fees (Mon-Fri) From Simon Kogan: “During this week we will go beyond the obvious and uncover the essence of the human form. Organizing forms in the space they occupy in relation to one another is to find the hidden balance that makes a sculpture. The force behind the search for the movement, balance, and conflict of the forms is what brings honesty, truth, and soul to a work of art. This class will open the student to a new way of looking, seeing, and understanding. The ability to sculpt is a gift, a gift that comes with the responsibility to develop it and treat it with respect. This class is not about recipes for making pretty sculptures. It is about the hunt for the ineffable substance of truth that is known to every human, yet hidden from them. When found, it is recognized by everybody and accepted as very familiar and practically intimate. I can not teach anybody how to sculpt in 30 hours. But, I can help you to see differently. I can give you a taste of what sculpting is. Just be open to try it.”
March 19-22 'Modeling the Bear with Carter Jones' $550 plus material fee (Mon-Thu) Each student will bring three photographs or drawings of bears and one will be selected per student to use as his model. Students will learn how to construct an armature, how to transfer a two-dimensional image into a three-dimensional design, how to enlarge to the desired size, and how to make an animated sculpture that will bring the bear to life. Water-based clay and armature materials will be on hand at the workshop. Other clay may be substituted and brought by the student but Brookgreen must be notified of this at least one month prior to the workshop date. Students will model a bear that will be approximately 15” in length.
April 2-6 'The Art of Bas-Relief with Amy Kann' $650 plus material and model fees (Mon-Fri) Bas-relief is a unique art form – it is the marriage of drawing and sculpture. Bas-relief is an excellent practice for both sculptors and painters looking to enhance their existing skill set because it demands good drawing skills, competent sculpture technique, sensitive clay handling, and an understanding of the relationship of form and structure to light and shadow. Students gain a real understanding of the structure and form they see with light by creating it three-dimensionally. Students are introduced to everything from the initial layout to the subtleties of creating a successful three-dimensional illusion. Students will work from a live model, each creating a sensitive portrait study.
April 16-18 'Birds in Sculpture with Sandy Scott' $450 plus material fee (Mon-Wed) The class begins with a discussion of bird anatomy, the principles of aerodynamics, and how to achieve the illusion of movement in figures of birds. Scott will help students determine the difference between a sculpture that is technically adequate and one that has spirit and life. She will discuss the value of lost and found edges, along with the way good composition and an expressive surface convey rhythm, light, and feeling of movement. Students will learn the importance of assembling strong, meaningful shapes and how eliminating unimportant details can create the bird’s essence. Students will work from photography, drawings, taxidermy mounts, and videotapes of birds in flight, and will receive instruction in building armatures. Above all, movement, gesture, and anatomy are the focus.
April 23-27 'Essential Principles of Composition in 3-Dimensional Sculpture & Bas-relief and Fundamental Principles of Bas-relief with Sergey Eylanbekov' $650 plus material and model fees (Mon-Fri) In this workshop, you get two subjects for the price of one! Essential Principles of Composition in 3-Dimensional Sculpture and Bas-relief includes (1) the principles of composition applied to designing a single figure, multi-figure group, portrait, and torso; (2) the use of elements and accessories, such as drapery, in sculptural composition; (3) and how to compose a relief. Fundamental Principles of Bas-relief includes instruction in creating a figure and other elements in relief incorporating foreshortening, the inter-relation of a figure with the background, and other techniques. Both of the subjects include thorough explanation and demonstration, working with and without a model. Students will create their own compositions in full 3-D and bas-relief applying these principles and techniques.
May 7-11 'Anatomy and Structure of the Figure with John Sherrill Houser' $650 plus material and model fees (Mon-Fri) This workshop will balance the discipline of structure and anatomy with artistic expression. No one can become a sculptor in five days, but a well-designed approach that includes a deliberative way of thinking about art is a key to future advancement, and such an approach can be outlined within that period. We will begin with an introductory lecture – “Sculptural Expression from Then to Now” – and brief modeling demonstration with commentary on clay handling, the importance of scale, and the hierarchy of form. Other subjects are: armature building, materials and tools, the lay-in, anatomy (diagram to animation), proportion (life vs. artistic expression), new thoughts on an integrated system of proportion, the bones (as structure and landmark), the muscles (interlocking and in cooperation), scale and the hierarchy of form, building form in subtly and strength, composition and movement (pyramids and spirals), and omission and distortion as tools of expression. There will also be a period of open discussion and each workshop member will receive personal attention with individual hands-on instruction and comments.
May 21-25 'Sculptors’ Boot Camp with Jim Licaretz' $650 plus material and model fees (Mon-Fri) There are many technical aspects to sculpture that are never taught such as finding the correct material and tools for a specific application. The concept of this unique workshop is to give participants a way of realizing form using anatomical landmarks, measurements, and overall structural observations and methods to create portraits and figures. A half-life-size portrait and a 1/4-size figure will be modeled in plastilene using these concepts. The emphasis will be on giving participants a system that can be utilized to create any size figure or portrait. Additionally, a day will be devoted to the basics of mold-making and casting, as well as a Powerpoint overview of a few 3-D modeling programs.
June 11-15 'Relief Modeling, Casting, and Patinating with Janice Mauro' $650 plus material and model fees (Mon-Fri) Students are guided through the process of sculpting a clay image in low relief from the live model. We will pick a location where the model will pose in costume amidst the flora of Brookgreen Gardens. A mold of the relief will be made in order to create multiple casts. As students explore the varied possibilities of the materials, they become more creative. This year, we will experiment with different types of gypsum and paper casting. The individuality of the images is further developed as techniques of color finishing are learned and applied. As the images evolve, so do new ideas, and the creative process becomes continual.
June 25-29 'Portraiture with Alicia Ponzio' $650 plus material and model fees (Mon-Fri) Alicia Ponzio will guide students through the process of modeling a portrait from life in traditional water-based clay, on a wooden armature. Using a specific 4-plane method of direct observation, students will learn to read and describe the structural elements of the portrait; and then explore the form, likeness, and expression of the individual sitter. The focus will be on improving observation skills and ability to work from life: practices that will lead to a more refined understanding of structure and form. Composition as it relates to portrait sculpture will also be discussed. Each student will work on a life-size portrait. At the end of the week, the piece can be photographed, or students may opt to cast it or fire it themselves if they have access to those facilities. Teaching methods will include brief lectures and discussions. Alicia will work alongside students, demonstrating key steps in the process and offering feedback to individual students during the class. The course is appropriate for beginning or advanced students of sculpture, as well as all levels of painters and draftsmen who are interested in studying the portrait in 3-dimensions.
July 16-20 'Modeling the Head from Life with Daniel Altshuler' $650 plus material and model fees (Mon-Fri)
August 6-10 'Modeling the Female Nude with Anthony Antonios' $650 plus material and model fees (Mon-Fri) The workshop is an in-depth exploration of the female form through modeling in water-based clay. Participants will model a half-size figure (choice of standing, sitting, or reclining) on a 30-inch armature working from the same model each day. Each person will receive individual attention, including demonstrations in sculpture, and drawing, if needed.
October 8-10 'Modeling the Graceful Figure with Gwen Marcus' $450 plus material and model fees (Mon-Wed) Students will be working in water-based clay from a live model. The workshop will cover form, proportions, relationships, and the flow of a composition. Students will learn what to look for in setting a pose as well as balance and composition in the figure. Each student will receive personal attention and guidance.
October 22-26 'Problem Solving in Sculpture Design with Garland Weeks' $650 plus material and model fees (Mon-Fri) Garland Weeks provides instruction in design, composition, and significant gesture, working with a model and using examples from the Brookgreen sculpture collection to illustrate these points. During the week, time will be spent viewing and discussing works onsite in the sculpture gardens. Each student will create an 18-inch-tall figure using oil-based clay.
December 3-7 'Modeling the Seated Figure with Tuck Langland' $650 plus material and model fees (Mon-Fri) Participants will create variations on the seated figure by adding robes or drapery, varying limb placements, head positioning, and other devices. Wooden chair armatures will be available and various examples of the concept will be shown. This special workshop also includes entry to “Nights of a Thousand Candles”, Brookgreen’s renowned holiday evening event featuring luminaries, candles, lighting, music, and other special displays throughout the sculpture gardens and indoor galleries.
Registration and Payment
Registration is accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. A registration fee of $150 is required upon registration. A student is not on the class list until the fee is paid. After attending one workshop, students may receive a 10% tuition discount for attendance in subsequent workshops during the same year. Students are asked to provide a complete mailing address, telephone number, and e-mail address when registering. Using American Express, Visa, MasterCard, or Discover Card, students may register by telephone, Mondays-Fridays, at (800) 849-1931, ext. 6027, or at (843) 235-6027, and by fax at (843) 235-6003. Checks are to be made payable to Brookgreen Gardens and can be sent to: Brookgreen Gardens, Attn: Sculpture Workshops, PO Box 3368, Pawleys Island, SC 29585. Contact sculpture@brookgreen.org for additional information. A waiting list is established once a class has filled.
Withdrawals, Cancellations and Refund Policies
Withdrawal from a workshop must be in writing and must be given at least 30 days prior to the beginning of the workshop. The registration fee will not be refunded: $50 will be kept to defray administrative costs, and $100 will be applied to a future workshop as partial registration until an additional $50 is paid for full registration. If a student withdraws during a workshop, a pro-rated tuition payment plus any fees for materials or models must be paid. The full registration fee ($150) will be kept if a student does not attend and does not provide a written notice of withdrawal by the deadline. Students will receive a full refund in the event that a workshop must be cancelled by Brookgreen Gardens.
Levels of Skill
Skill levels given in the workshop listings are approximate and are guidelines only. All workshops, including those for beginners, require students to have some familiarity with the subject matter of the class.
Supplies, Books and Additional Fees
A supply list of required materials will be sent approximately one month prior to the start of each workshop. Students may not bring their own clay to the workshop unless the instructor has specified it. If recommended, students are encouraged to obtain books prior to the workshop. Some materials for workshops are provided and some workshops require models, both for additional fees. In the event additional fees are required, they are determined at cost and divided evenly among the students.
Daily Schedule
Although each sculpture workshop begins and ends at the instructor’s discretion, the schedule is generally 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. on the first day, and 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. on subsequent days. One hour is allowed for lunch. Students are encouraged to bring their own bag lunches or to use Brookgreen food service facilities. A refrigerator, microwave oven, coffee maker, water-cooler, and soft-drink vending machines are located at the Campbell Center.
Questions?
Robin Salmon, (800) 849-1931, ext. 6012 or (843) 235-6012 or Laura Hunnicutt, (800) 849-1931, ext .6027 or (843) 235-6027; E-mail, sculpture@brookgreen.org
