Pietrasanta 2003

Essence


The Body
         
In 2001, I learned how to use the point system and calipers to quickly complete the rough modeling of a maquette in a block of marble. For an over-life size torso of a woman, that took about 3 weeks of the 4 week workshop. So, this year, I decided to have Mirio do the rough modeling prior to my arrival. Then I could focus my efforts on learning how to do the finish modeling and perhaps even the final sanding of my piece. I also wanted to learn techniques for carving hands, feet, and the face from the highly skilled artigiani of Pietrasanta. To make this easier, I asked Mirio to double the size of my maquette. When I arrived, I was intimidated by the size and complexity of the work I needed to accomplish.

On my arrival

Nearly done

Nearly done

Nearly Done
   
 
The Face
         
At first glance, I was impressed by how far Mirio had taken the modeling. Four weeks later, we were rushing to finish. Figurative marble sculpture is a lot of work. Mirio has always been very supportive of my work. This year, he arranged for Guiseppe Landhi to help me, one of the finest anatomic modelers in the world. Beppie (short for Guiseppe in Tuscany) had just retired and turned down two other jobs to work with me on this piece. Mirio jokes that Beppie works as a hairdresser at night. Notice the beautiful hair. When we were near completion, Beppie told me that she has blond hair and dark eyes. Can you tell?

On my arrival

Nearly done


Nearly Done


Nearly Done
   
 
The Hair
         
Mirio jokes that Beppie works as a hairdresser at night. Beppie showed me how to make beautiful hair. When we were near completion, Beppie told me that she has blond hair and dark eyes. Can you tell?

Hair Just Started

Nearly done

Nearly done
    e
 
The Hands
         
In Pietrasanta in 2001, I found that the artigiani all had custom tools, many 40 or more years old and not available commercially. Just like the artigiani, the blacksmith who made these tools was retired. I was told that he does still make tools when asked but I never managed to find him. As soon as I arrived, I asked Mirio to contact the blacksmith and he did. I was able to buy some tools that I knew I needed. Good thing because every time Beppie started to show me how to carve a new part of the body, he pulled out tools I had never seen before. You need special tools to carve eyes lids and fingers and underneath the leg. I called and asked the blacksmith to come back four times, to meet with me and Beppie to make some more tools for me. When I told the blacksmith that I certainly hoped I would be able to carve like Beppie with my new tools. He diplomatically responded, "With better tools, I am certain that you will carve better". On the very last day, Beppie pulled out a tool I had never seen, smiled, and said "you don't have one of these!"

On my arrival

On my arrival

In progress

Nearly done

Nearly don
 
           
The Feet
         

On my arrival

In Progress

Nearly done


 
 
Learning and Leaving
         
Mirio and Beppie and Livio have been working as artigiani for as long as 50 years, they have all reproduced the masters and executed the works of many famous artists of this century. They are astonishingly skilled. They learned through apprenticeship and that is how they teach. They are not particularly articulate about the details of the craft, though all of them could immediately tell when I had not used the rasp correctly for the final modeling of the surface and would show me how to do it again (and again, and again). They say to "steal with your eyes" as they model an eyelid or shape an ear. All of them know what is beautiful, and Livio in particular gave loving and sharply intuitive advice about what each of us needed to progress in our work.

Learning from Mirio
G
Learning from Beppi

Nearing the finish line

Crating

Boxed and ready to ship