June 2005 Newsletter - Montoya Sculpture & Supply

Issue 17
June 2005 - Newsletter

ROCK TALK
MONTOYA SCULPTURE & SUPPLY since 1973

Interesting stone sculpture related news, technical tips, special offers and other sculpture stuff.
By Jeff Halverson
Sculptor and Owner of Montoya Sculpture & Supply
www.MontoyaSculpture.com

Issue 17, June 22, 2005

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IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Editor's Note
2. Stone Sculptors you Need to Know About - Constantine Brancusi
3. New Items –Trapano violino
4. Current Sale- Big stone sale and some tools
5. Upcoming Events
6. Please send sculpture quotes (maybe win $25 gift certificate)

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SCULPTURE QUOTE
" ...it [is] necessary to keep one's compass in one's eyes and not in the hand, for the hands execute, but the eye judges." Michelangelo, p.493 Art Through the Ages, sixth edition, Harcourt Press.
Submitted by Michelle Binkley
Michelle is Marketing Director for Michael Binkley, Sculptor, www.BinkleySculpture.com

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1. EDITOR’S NOTE

Three weeks ago we received a shipment of over 11 tons of fine sculpture stone. That includes soapstone, alabaster, wonderstone and marble. If you have not tried wonderstone you really should. They are as hard as alabaster and come in great consistent colors.

Thanks to Michelle Binkley for submitting the selected sculpture related quote, we are sending her a $25 gift certificate. I appreciate you taking the time to submit it. I only had one other quote submitted, so come on you sculptors- there must be more quotes out there
.
Sculpture breaks auction record
Well, I hope you all saw the record breaking news of the sculpture by Constantine Brancusi that sold for $27,456,000 (Yes 27 million). It was a 47 inch tall "Bird in Space" in marble created about 1923. It was sold the first week in May. A Brancusi sculpture also had the last record price for a sculpture at 18.1 million from May 2002 called "Danaide" BBC News reports that the "Bird in Space" had been previously unrecorded and was stored in a private vault since 1937 and owned by the same family. More about Brancusi below.We have a great sale about to start but through our E-newsletter you are getting an advance notice. More details below but when you buy a first stone of at least 30 lb you get the second stone of equal or lesser value at 50% off. Buy a third stone of 30 lb or more and the forth one is 50% off. And here is some really great news. Thanks to our friend at Georgia Marble which also owns a quarry in Colorado. We are about to receive two pallets of Colorado Gold Vein Marble. If you have been by the studio recently you have seen the sample I have near the front door. This is a great marble to work with. It’s mostly white but has some goldish color running though it in places. I am keeping the price low for this introductory shipment. These are rectangular shapes at 14"x14" and 8"x8". Once they arrive I will know the lengths. If you need custom sizes let me know so I can get it on our next shipment. I am going to keep them large through the sale but after that I will cut anything left into smaller units so let us know if you are interested in smaller units and we will put you on a list. But call as soon as you can because I think this marble will go fast.

Please forward this issue to a friend that might be interested.

Thanks for reading. Remember to dream and create.
Jeff
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2. Constantine Brancusi

Born on February 21st in 1876 in Romania, Brancusi is known for his simple, abstract forms and is considered as one of the founding figures of modern sculpture. Many consider him to be THE Father of Modern Sculpture.

In 1887 at the age of 11 he left home, wandering from place to place After some early education and art training at the School of Arts and Crafts he received a scholarship enabling him to enter the Academy of Fine Arts in Bucharest. He graduated on Sept 24, 1902. Some of his early works in sculpture include Laocoon, General Davila and Skinned Man.

From 1902 to 1904 he made his way to Paris through Munich, Rorschach, Zurich and Basel. In Paris he enrolled in the Academie des Beaux-Arts. He entered his first exhibition with a plaster bust named "Portrait of M.G". Several other plaster works represented him at another show that same year in 1906. This year also sees his first version of Sleeping Muse in marble. He completed several versions of Sleeping Muse during his life. During this time these works were influenced by Rodin, as well as Medardo Rosso.
I found it interesting that in 1907 after he had exhibited at the Societe Nationale des Beaux-Arts, where Rodin was President, many had beseeched Rodin to take Brancusi in as an assistant. Brancusi was not aware of their attempts on his behalf but Rodin agreed. Brancusi refused the offer supposedly saying "For nothing grows in the shadow of big trees." Rodin, upon hearing this said simply "At the bottom, he is right, he is as stubborn as I am." Brancusi preferred solitude.

In 1908, on commission to the Montparnasse Cemetery he creates, in stone, "The Kiss" at 49" high. Several other versions of "The Kiss" were created that same year. They are interesting to view for their subtle differences. Two more works I appreciate are produced this same year with "Ancient Figure" in stone at 22.5" and "Wisdom" in stone at 20". These works begin to show the abstraction of form he would continue to explore through his life. In 1909 he produced his first abstracted version of "Sleeping Muse" in marble at only 6.5"x 12".

From 1912 on, Brancusi adopts direct carving in stone, almost exclusively. He is quoted as saying,

" Direct cutting is the true road to sculpture, but also the most dangerous for those who don’t know how to walk, and in the end, direct or indirect, cutting means nothing, it is the complete thing that counts."

In 1918 while Brancusi was in an intense period of woodcarving he began to apply himself to the creation of bases. To many the base was simply a setting. Brancusi believed his work was best viewed in the setting of his studio, but the creation of his own base allowed him to control the sculptures relation to the observer. His base allowed him to present the sculpture at the correct height, in a somewhat controlled immediate environment and setting as well as orientation. Some of his bases were as tall a table. While the base was not a work of art it added to and enhanced the sculpture. Even though much of Brancusi’s works are small, in a room of small and even large sculptures a Brancusi can stand out by virtue of its base. His "Torso of a Young Man" 1925 is a good example of this technique. In 1927 Isamu Noguchi worked as a studio assistant for Brancusi.

Brancusi worked in wood and metal also often making minor changes, adapting the same basic work for the same creation in stone, wood and metal. He made several trips to the United States and was represented in exhibitions in New York, Chicago and Philadelphia.

But what was or is it that makes his work stand out as a milestone in the sculptural lexicon? At the time he was emerging in the sculptural field where Rodin’s figures were the latest in sculpture. In Paris at this time his works were not only new, they were powerful and dramatic, they were modern. As opposed to Cubists disruptive treatment of reality, Brancusi’s forms offered a type of transcendent beauty, a new way of seeing things. He said: "Do not look for strange formulas or mysteries. I offer pure joy. Look at my sculptures until you manage to see them"

" My life has been nothing but a succession of marvelous events" Brancusi

Brancusi lived in Paris until he died on March 16, 1957.

Take some time and search out a Brancusi near you. If you make it to one of our stone carving workshops you can walk a block east to the largest art museum in Florida and see a Brancusi "Sleeping Muse".

Further Reading:

-"Constantine Brancusi" by Carola Giedion-Weicker, 1959, hardcover 240 pages. A Montoya Antique bookshelf book, $65. Waterstain on the cover. Full of large b/w pictures. ID# 116

-"Early Modern Sculpture" by William Tucker, 1974, hardcover 170 pages. A Montoya Antique bookshelf book, $25. With dust cover. 155 illustrations. Ask for ID# 135

-"Constantine Brancusi: The Essence of Things" by Carmen Gimenez, Matthew Gale (Editor)

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3. NEW ITEMS– New for May and June–

Trapano violino complete di archetto e punte

(violin drill with arch and points) – This is another one of those tools that amaze me. Check it out on the website www.MontoyaSculpture.com and search for SKU 89005. You will see a picture of this old type tool. It’s a hand drill for stone. The "violin string" winds once around the barrel that spins the chisel bit. The brass rimmed wood barrel spins free of the handle above it. It comes with six chisel bits about 8 inches long. It’s surprising how fast this will drill a hole in stone. Of course speed is totally in your control with the rate at which you run the bow back and forth. And talk about quiet, hardly a sound. This is the tool for the purest who only wants to use hand tools on their stone. Since each chisel drill is 8 inches long you can really get the hole deep into the stone. The chisels range in width of 1/8" to just under 1⁄2" and includes a canvas pouch.

This tool is made in Italy and is truly a crafted tool with smooth hard woods and brass fittings. You will not find this tool anywhere else. Introductory priced for June at $315. Regularly $350 starting after July 9. Sorry- the Euro exchange rate is really starting to hurt. Call us and order SKU 89005.> NEW BOOK

" PORTRAIT SCULPTING, Anatomy and Expressions in Clay" by Philippe & Charisse Faraut
Hardcover 8.5" x 11", 214 pages with index. Copyright 2004. Over 550 pictures, crisp, detailed and close-up black & white photos.
Well I can tell you a lot about this book but it’s probably best to take a look at the author’s website www.PCFstudios.com to really see the artistry and skill detailed in this book. I am so impressed with this artist and book that I am working to get Philippe here to Montoya to conduct a workshop. The nine chapters include: Materials Tools and Lighting, Anatomy and Aging, Features and Hair, Working in Planes, The Portrait, Common Mistakes, Expression, Finishing Techniques, and Beyond the Clay.
From the back cover: "Over 550 photographs of sixty-five different sculptures are used to show a series of exercises organized in a progressive manner. This text offers art students; painters, illustrators, forensic artists and sculptors interested in accurately depicting the human face an invaluable source of knowledge. For the beginner, the step-by-step method provides a means to achieve fast results as well as a solid foundation in the knowledge of anatomy. For the advanced artist, there is a wealth of information on such topics as, the aging process, mechanics of expression, and advanced mold making. The most complete and comprehensive book on modeling the portrait in clay. Further features include: Illustrations and exercises for modeling the bones and muscles of the head and shoulders, Techniques for modeling individual features. Methods for correcting common mistakes, Step-by-step demonstrations for working in planes. A special section on repairing a shattered sculpture"

Philippe has also been conducting stone carving and clay workshops for over fifteen years.

Regularly $54.95. Call us at 1-800-682-8665 on or before Sunday June 26 and save 12%

at $ 48.36. This is an introductory price only and valid only to my ROCK TALK E-newsletter subscribers. You have to call or email us, and if you call and we are not in leave a message AND phone number to qualify and we will call you back.

New from the April issue

8" knife edge fine file- This is a very fine knife shaped file that is very handy and time saving when you have to smooth and file between stones. Let’s say between the body and arm of a stone sculpture, or between flat areas. Its also great for bringing fine edges to corners of stone particularly marble (works well on alabaster and wonderstone also). It narrows down to about 1/16" at the bottom (which does have file teeth on that surface). The 7/8"sides of the file also have teeth and at the top of the file it’s about 3/16" wide (no teeth on that side). Of course since its teeth are so fine you will have to clean it out often but you will get the smooth finish you want in those tight spots. $8.50 only have three of these left to try out.

1500 grit Wet/Dry Silicone Carbide paper- Since I have had a number of clients ask about this I have added it to our offerings. We carry this type of wet/dry paper in the following grits: 150, 220, 320, 400, 600, and 1200 (Open screen back in 80 and 120 to prevent loading with dust). We have now added 1500 grit for that really fine finish on marble and even alabaster. As you know alabaster will produce a very fine finish at 600 and 1200 grit. So it will depend on the alabaster as to needing 1500 grit. All of our Silicone Carbide wet/dry paper is 9"x11" and features silicone carbide grains, resin on resin bond with high quality latex-backed paper. That means sharp cut, fine finish, it resists heat (from rubbing so much), and it has long life and resists moisture. It can be used dry but its best when used with lubricants (like water for stone). In case you care, besides being ideal for stone and marble the manufacturer’s literature also states its ideal for metal, plastics, glass, and body fillers. $.79 a sheet

80 grit & 240 grit flap wheel for pneumatic or electric dia grinder- 1⁄4" shank fits standard collets for the pneumatic and electric dia grinders (Foredom and Mekita). We already carry these flap wheels in 120 and 180 grits. And of course they are all rated to 25,000 rpms. Your dia grinder is probably rated for a maximum of 23,000 to 25,000 rpms, but check it so you are safe. They are 1 " in width and 1-3/4" in diameter. We had customers asking about other grits so here they are. In case you have not tried them these are great little add-ons for your dia grinders. They make fast work of sanding (and they make plenty of dust as a result). They are designed to wear down with use to expose fresh grit to the working surface. They are rather inexpensive and when you consider the time saved they are well worth it.
80 grit flapwheel, $4.78
240 grit flapwheel, $4.78
Set of four grits (80, 120, 180, 240) $19.12.

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4. CURRENT SALE

Electric Power Tools 25% off –Foredom, Makita Die Grinder, Angle grinder. Power Tools accessories 20% off. Soapstone, Alabaster, Wonderstone & Marble First Stone at regular price (30 lb. Min.) Second Stone of equal or lesser value 50% off. Mix & Match Stones. Sale ends July 14th 2005

We are about to receive two pallets of Colorado Gold Vein Marble. If you have been by the studio recently you have seen the sample I have near the front door. This is a great marble to work with. It’s mostly white but has some goldish color running though it in places. I am keeping the price low for this introductory shipment. These are rectangular shapes at 14"x14" and 8"x8". Once they arrive I will know the lengths. If you need custom sizes let me know so I can get it on our next shipment. I am going to keep them large through the sale but after that I will cut anything left into smaller units so let us know if you are interested in smaller units and we will contact you. But call as soon as you can because I think this marble will go fast. Introductory priced at $1.20.

GIFT CERTIFICATES – Easy to buy, mail, and use.

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5. UPCOMING EVENTS

Sharon Gainsburg will be joining us in January 2006 for her second workshop with us. Her first workshop was very successful and we are looking forward to seeing her again. Give us a call if you want to be contacted prior to general release of the workshop dates so you can reserve a place (only ten available). See what her first workshop participants said about their experience with her by going to my blog at www.MontoyaSculpture.blogspot.com
Now preparing next seasons workshop line-up

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6. PLEASE SEND SCULPTURE QUOTES (maybe win $25 gift certificate)

I have included a sculpture related quote at the top of this issue. I hope it is inspiring and interesting. If you have an interesting sculpture related quote please send it to me. Please include the name of the person who said it. All of the quotes that are received are being compiled into a list of quotes related to sculpture. The first batch of quotes from the first six issues has been posted to MontoyaSculpture.com. I would appreciate your help in building this list of quotes directly related to sculpture. Quotes can be from recognized sculptors of the past or from a teacher or friend. Send me your sculpture related quote, and if it is selected I will send you a Montoya Sculpture & Supply $25 gift certificate and put the quote in the next issue. Email me at Jeff@MontoyaSculpture.com Thanks

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(c)Copyright 2005 Jeff Halverson

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