Recently I posted on my Facebook page ‘Sculptor Trevor C’ declaring my love for… Monster Clay, I know… sad isn’t it… fortunately, it's not my only love, just in the confines of my sculpture world.
I tripped over the product, quite literally, floor stacked in the aisle of Dalchem in Cheltenham around 8 years ago and it has become my principle sculpting material for most of my artwork, functioning beautifully as an analogue to create detailed moulds from.
Like most materials it takes a little getting used to, upon first impressions, it feels nice and smooth in my hands and acts like a clay/wax mix, certainly as long as you are working it, it remains very pliable. When it cools it becomes hard like wax and can be carved and textured, but should you want to rework it, for tired hands, it can be softened with a heat lamp, heat gun or in the microwave, in which case make sure you follow the safety directions. If you’ve heated a pie in the microwave, you will know what I mean. it can be cool to the touch but have a centre that can put molten lava to shame, so be careful!
Monster clay comes in a huge container and lasts forever, I love that it is endlessly reusable. I will say it does take some work to get a smooth surface though since the clay is so hard when cold. For finishing I use Isopropyl Myristate (try saying that after a few drinks) it's also available at Dalchem and can be sparing brushed on.
There are plenty of YouTube tutorials available that are worth checking out to help you get started.
Trevor Carter
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Check this!:
I have many kg of 'slightly used' monster clay and other sculpting materials for sale. Half price Monster Clay... Who could resist? Loved the stuff... No longer sculpting. Hope someone can use it.
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Here’s an interesting video found on the ABC YouTube site:
Using mostly driftwood, artist Pete Rush has been crafting incredible animal sculptures on the beaches of NSW's Central Coast. #ArtWorks
Subscribe now: http://ab.co/subscribe
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Just a repeat from last newsletter:
Donation from the Estate of Wanda Skalik-Stelmach
Wanda Skalik-Stelmach’s family wish to donate their mother's equipment for the sculpture of life size work from clay. Shown here are photographs of the equipment. One is a stand that swivels around and the height can be changed. The other is the framework. If one of your members might be interested in these pieces of equipment I would be happy to pass these onto them. Best wishes, Wanda 0402048822
Wanda Skalik-Stelmach was born in Poland 8 April1925. As a child she showed a keen interest in art and did small sculptures. Even during WW2 she created small sculptures in Plaster of Paris or clay. At war's end, she moved to London as a refugee. She studied Sculpture at Sir John Cass School of the Arts. Her works included a marble monument to the fallen soldier which was installed at a major round- about in London. In 1953 she won third place in the Queen's Coronation Year Battersea Park Commonwealth Sculpture competition with a sculpture entitled Midsummers Nights Dream. Wanda carved in stone, marble, wood as well as modelling in clay and bronze casting. She lived in Galway Ireland where she was active in the arts community and received private commissions. Her works include a bust of Michael Collins (now with his family in Dublin), stations of the cross, and a massive carved mahogany crucifix for the African Mission College.
The Sunday Independent, February 24 1963 refers to these " Everywhere I went in Galway I heard praise of her Stations of the Cross, executed for Father McCullough's newly built church near Oughterard. She is now working on the same theme for the A.M.(African Missions) Church at Kilcolgan. These panels will be 6 feet high with the figure of Christ carved into the cross. Two reliefs for the same church will depict the Flight into Egypt and St. Peter Claver".
She moved to Australia in 1968 and continued to take private commissions. She passed away aged 91 and is missed by her family. The two scaffolds are available to interested sculptors. The smaller scaffold was built for her by her husband, Zbigniew, in Ireland (photograph attached). The larger was built in Coventry England.
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