For the past few months I’ve been working on a 31” tall clay model of Theodore Roosevelt in the Dakota Territory. I don’t get many opportunities to sculpt maquettes for larger projects mainly because of the tight deadlines I deal with. With no given timeline on the full size version there was time to create a detailed maquette. 

The maquette was designed from an old photo of Teddy from the early 1880s. Around the time he first visited the Dakota Territory to experience the American West. The time he spent in what is now North Dakota cultivated a young Teddy into the man we know of as our 26th President. For more information about Teddy in the American West, click here.

Although the primary inspiration for the clay work was the photo of Teddy, there were some things that I changed. It was important to incorporate the feel of the future Presidents’ larger than life personality and confidence. Putting his foot on a rock, growing his mustache and squinting his eyes were a few of the minor changes that I made from the original photo.

The project, if it happens, will be my first monument to a President. To say that I am excited at the prospects would be an accurate statement. More details at a later date, stay tuned.

 

According to Wikipedia, creativity is defined as “the use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work”. But we are all creative in our own individual ways even if you aren’t an artist. Whether you are remodeling a home or being creative with your time, creativity is a big part of our lives. Furthermore, I’ll bet the majority of people are maintaining a creative mind on a daily basis but don’t consider themselves creative.

Being creative as a sculptor can sometimes be a chore. Since making sculptures is expensive, time consuming and requires a certain amount of space (both physically and emotionally) it can be tough to bring an A-game every day. Creatively speaking, it is easy for sculptures to get stale. Especially when you cast in bronze!

Here are some of the things that I do to maintain a creative mind as a sculptor:

• talk about art with friends. I am fortunate to have a couple of studio mates that I talk art with on a daily basis. Furthermore, every Friday we discuss art in depth during lunch. Sometimes our conversations can go for 2 hours! Since we share artistic likes we can usually go into the depths of art and art history. It is a great way to end the week too.
• Go for walks. Being in Colorado means there is a plethora of hiking trails and parks to explore. But because I’m a creature of habit, there are two parks that I frequent. Whether walking during the cold brisk air of January or on a hot summer day, walking frees my mind and allows me to step back.
• Learn to compete with yourself, not anyone else. While I am naturally competitive I have had to learn to turn this inwards for the most productive output (as well as for people to not hate me). I believe if you aren’t naturally competitive you can learn to compete with yourself. There are books on this topic. When I compete with myself, I begin to learn and appreciate what I’m good at and what I’m not good at. I can take this awareness and focus on improving on it or ignoring it. But awareness is crucial. 
• When I create a sculpture I alternate between having reference and not having reference available. When I don’t have reference available questions begin to form right away. Such as what happens to the flexor muscles of the legs when the leg is bent vs. straight. Then, when I go to use reference, these questions are answered. On the contrary, if you always work from a model or photographs, you don’t learn to develop questions. As such, the final artwork can become stale because you haven’t really learned why you are doing what you are doing. 
• Rise early. Not everyone agrees with the phrase “the early bird gets the worm”. I do. I am up every day at 5am sometimes earlier. To me, there is something magical about the early morning hours.
• Draw, draw, draw. From your imagination. From life. Then repeat.
• Go and “read art”. Study poetry, music and art that inspire you. Why are you so drawn to Beethoven’s piano sonatas? What makes John Singer Sargeant’s paintings so good? Is it in the composition or is it in the handling of the brushstrokes? What makes Rodin’s Thinker so appealing? Don’t just read other peoples points of view, develop your own opinion.
• Quiet the mind. Whether it’s in front of the fireplace with my three kitties and Jessica or just laying in bed daydreaming. Allowing my mind to “de-stress” is equivalent to refilling my creative gas tank. It is a Yin and Yang approach to life and crucial to maintaining a creative mind.
• Stay positive and keep on moving. One day it will take you somewhere.

  

All Schools Day

Since early 2021 I have been busy working on a large sculptural project honoring the 107 year history of All Schools Day in McPherson, Kansas.

In 1914, the community came together to celebrate the graduation of McPherson County 8th graders. Since then, the parade has become the largest celebration in the state of Kansas and has grown to honor high school and college graduates, as well as 8th graders. The completed monument will be permanently installed in early 2022 in time for the event.

COMPOSITION

The composition of the five kids dancing around a May pole was inspired by traditional ceremonies of the May pole dance with a more modern take. Traditionally, school age girls wore long dresses with flower crowns and were the primary entertainers. However, I felt it was important to include both girls and boys in order to be “all-inclusive”.

Although each of the five kids are walking in the same direction doing the same thing for the most part, I was concerned with creating each of them in a unique pose with unique clothing and slightly different facial expressions. As such, each child maintains a sense of happiness and playfulness throughout while maintaining a sense of individualism.

In the center will be a 12 foot tall aluminum flag pole. And attached will be five colored streamers mounted to the top that each kid holds to create the unique weave pattern. 

At the rear of the May pole will be two 7 foot tall black granite tablets. Each tablet will be laser etched with text and images of the unique history of All Schools Day in McPherson. Off to the side will be two black granite benches that will hold two large circular shaped discs. These porcelain discs will have historical illustrations by two children commemorating the annual event. 

Linear pavers will be laid in a similar design and shape as the plaza of the Globe Refiners monument. Last of all uplighting will bring the monument to life at night.

UNIQUE ATTRIBUTES

• As in all of my sculptures, I pay close attention to little details. As such, buttons, shoe laces and hair have as much detail as a dress or shirt. Generally, I spend about 40% of my time on the facial details. I am amazed at how little movements in facial expressions can affect the feeling of a monument. Undoubtedly a simple smile can easily convey a sense of joy from the slight raise of an eyebrow, for example. 

• One of the children is straight from the 1930s depression-era, with his newsboy cap and suspenders. Importantly, I included this historical figure to connect our past to the present day.

• In an attempt to connect the nearby Globe Refiners monument with this monument, one of the girls is wearing low-top converse shoes. Details of the bronze converse shoes on the Globe Refiners monument was recently included in a book by Rich Hughes “If The Shoe Fits: How Sport Stars Fashion The Sneaker Culture”. by connecting two very different monuments in this subtle way and tipping the hat to the first Gold Medal Olympic basketball team, it is a show of respect albeit in a small subtle way.

Remembering Heroes (Vietnam War) is a life size bronze military sculpture and the third life size kneeling soldier in the Remembering series. The bronze sculpture is a Vietnam era US Marine with his hand against a wall. Remembering (War on Terror) is also a life size bronze military sculpture and the first sculpture made in the series. 

Both bronze sculptures are life size. Each of them remembers the sad and unfortunate cost of war and honors the fallen. The Vietnam soldier has an M16 rifle and the modern War on Terror soldier has an M4. Both are clutching a helmet in right hand although the Vietnam soldier has a pack of marlboros strapped to his helmet. Both have an outstretched left arm designed to rest against a stone wall. In addition, both are US Marines. But they are from two different wars separated by 30 years.

Remembering (War on Terror)

When I created the Remembering (War on Terror) sculpture I never imagined it would lead to creating other military sculptures. Remembering was the second military themed sculpture I had created (the first being a Tuskegee Airman). From the moment it was installed, I started getting inquiries about it and creating new sculptures. I get great joy in connecting with people and hearing their responses to Remembering. However, it is sometimes followed by a personal story of loss. 

Without a doubt, Remembering (War on Terror) was the first time I felt a sense of purpose with my art in honoring service members. I think a part of it was from my dads connection to the sculpture and what he did for Veterans. What I had created gave him joy, which in turn gave me a sense of purpose. And this continues to this day.

As a US Marine, my dad Dave Betti felt proud and honored at what I was creating and the direction I was going with my art. Enough so, that he visited me in Colorado in 2013 to see the sculpture in its early stages. As President of the Vietnam Veterans of Ventura county, it gave him joy to see what his only son was working on. A closer bond was formed, then had been previous. Sadly it would be the last time I’d see my dad. 

Remembering Heroes (Vietnam War)

Remembering Heroes (Vietnam War) bronze sculpture was created at the 6 year anniversary of my dads death. As such, the sculpture has a different meaning for me then it does to the Veterans who reflect on it. Although it is designed to remember the heroes we lost during the war in Vietnam, it is also a personal homage to my late father and all that he did for the Vietnam vets in Southern California. 

Gold Star Mother at Gracelawn Cemetery is a tribute to all of the Gold Star families that have lost children in war. The sculpture honors the families in the US, but its design was inspired by old European cemetery art. 

Beautiful and Old

Some of the most beautiful sculptures I have seen are located in old historic cemeteries. Many of these aged sculptures show great craftsmanship and talent. Often times the subjects are of grieving women and angels and are usually ignored by the art seeking public. It’s easy to understand why they aren’t revered as great art; sculptures in cemeteries are usually somber figures representing the non-living. Nothing joyful or hopeful about them. They don’t represent dreams or ambitions but instead death, something we all try to avoid. 

All too often, these outdoor statues don’t have any kind of maintenance plan in place. But perhaps their neglect makes them even more beautiful. With the oxidized surfaces of blues and greens adding to the emotional scene maybe they were intended to age naturally. This does make me wonder though; how did they look when they were fresh from the art studios that made them.

It makes sense that these old sculptures have been neglected. After all, the people that they represent are long gone. And it’s likely that the family or friend that commissioned the statue are also long gone.

But these uncared for bronze sculptures don’t have to be ignored. The cemeteries that own the artworks can take steps towards maintaining their collection. As much as they spend on maintaining the grounds, I can’t imagine not having funds to clean and wax the sculptures. If there is no plan in place eventually the oxidation process will morph the patina into greens and blues. In time, the sculpture will not look as young and pretty as it once did.

Looking in the Past for Inspiration

In 2017, I created concept sketches for a sculpture to honor Gold Star Mothers. The sketch I created was inspired by these oxidized and neglected cemetery sculptures. One sculpture, in particular, caught my attention and inspired me with my final designs. A grieving woman kneeling at a grave and clutching a flower in her hand captured my attention and imagination. Who is she and who is she grieving for? What’s her story. Although the history of this old sculpture is unknown and appears to be uncared for it is nonetheless a beautiful and great work of art. At least in my humble opinion.

Full Circle

The finished life size bronze sculpture of Gold Star Mother was installed at Gracelawn Cemetery in Edmond, Oklahoma in the Spring of 2021. Established in 1895, Gracelawn Cemetery contains the graves of some of Edmonds prominent leaders. The sculpture has become the heart of the cemetery, as I was later told. It has received visitors during Memorial Day and Gold Star Mothers Day since it’s installation earlier this year.

On Memorial Day, Josh Spinger, a photographer from Oklahoma captured the sculpture during a small ceremony. The photographs are vivid and full of emotion. They remind me of the sculpture that inspired her and the full circle it made. Inspired by an old cemetery sculpture and installed at an old cemetery.

Art brings us together

We all love art, whether it’s our favorite author, music, poetry or painting; art is vital to our well being. It is also important for economic growth as it impacts the community and brings us together. Without art we would be boring creatures living mundane lives.

One of the amazing parts of creating outdoor sculpture is meeting new people in a new community and learning and expressing this communities values through art. I’ve met some really wonderful and talented people. Because I love what I do I’ve stayed in touch with many of them over the years and this gives so much meaning to the work that I do.

In a community, public art invites us out of our homes and into a town square. Perhaps its for a local art studio tour, a sculpture unveiling or a new movie in theaters that gets us out and about. Or perhaps it’s to watch a concert. Art invites good conversation and can help form a bond between two strangers.

Treasures within a community

Anyone can engage with art in a public setting. It gives people a sense of belonging to a community and encourages interaction with others, sometimes strangers. Whether it’s a single permanently installed bronze sculpture or a large veterans park, art reflects a community and attracts people to its uniqueness.

Some of the benefits of public sculpture and how art impacts the community are:

• Economic growth. People are more inclined to venture out if there is artwork to see and experience. Increased foot traffic means people are spending money in a community.
• Cultural identity. Art expresses life in so many ways. When community members see themselves reflected in public spaces, they feel connected to where they live. Artwork gives them a sense of identity within their community.
• Awareness. When a sculpture or mural in a public space has added meaning, a community might develop more of an appreciation for its subject.
• Education. Often times art in a public setting serves to educate a community. Whether it’s a bronze sculpture of a city founder or of a local inventor, art can be a beaming light on an otherwise unknown or forgotten subject.

Take it from a leader…

“The arts empower and give a voice to the voiceless. The arts help transform American communities and, as I often say, the result can be a better child, a better town, a better nation and certainly a better world. Let’s champion our arts action heroes, emulate them and make our communities everything we want them to be.” ~ Robert L. Lynch, President, Americans for the Arts

on Brodie’s influence 

Before I became a sculptor I was heavily influenced by combat artist Howard Brodie. His illustrations became a building block of my work creating military themed sculptures.

Brodie was a former instructor at the Academy of Art College. He was friends with the schools founder Richard Stephens and taught there during the 1970s inspiring many of the teachers that I had the honor of learning from.

In his book “Drawing Fire: a Combat Artist at War” his illustrations are filled with loose yet accurate depictions of WWII, the Korean War and Vietnam. What impresses me the most is they weren’t sketched in the comfort of his studio. As a combat artist Brodie didn’t carry a weapon to war. His pencil strokes created during combat are expressive, yet seemingly accurate. They are real life superheroes in action poses and close up portraits.  Grotesque and beautiful all rolled up into one.

“His drawings, like all great art, direct a penetrating light onto human activity-in this case of that most ridiculous, tragic and heroic of all human conflicts-war.”– Walter Cronkite

Using art to honor 

In 2005, my dad asked me to create concepts for military themed sculptures to show his Vietnam vet friends in Southern California. As president of the Vietnam Veterans of Ventura County we had hoped it would lead to a sculpture or project. Or perhaps a new direction for me since I was, at the time, a struggling artist. I referred back to the drawings of Howard Brodie to find inspiration. I created about six concepts that illustrated various scenes during the Vietnam war. One of which I recently reinterpreted for a potential project in Nebraska. Although those sketches didn’t lead to any projects with my dad, it eventually opened up the doors for many other military themed sculptures. 

Later that year I created a bronze sculpture honoring the Tuskegee Airman. The monument, now in Iowa Falls, Iowa was the first of many military sculptures I’d make in the coming years. Like the drawings I did inspired by Brodie, the Tuskegee Airman became a stepping stone for future monuments in bronze.

The next sculpture I made was of a kneeling soldier during the War on Terror. The kneeling US Marine has his hand against a wall, clutching his helmet and remembering a fallen brother. My dad beamed with pride with this monument. Enough so that he came to visit me in Colorado to see it in clay. Sadly, it would be the last time I would see my dad. But before he passed he would always tell me how much this sculpture meant to him.

Remembering Heroes (Vietnam era grieving soldier)

Six years following my dads sudden passing I created a slightly different sculpture from the original Remembering sculpture. Titled “Remembering Heroes”, this sculpture is based on the first design from the War on Terror. However, it is of a kneeling US Marine during the Vietnam war. Same pose as the original sculpture, but with Vietnam war era combat uniform, an M16 rifle and a pack of cigarettes in his helmet.

While making this sculpture earlier this year, I couldn’t help but think of my dad. I also thought of how much of my work is influenced by combat artist Howard Brodie.

The grieving soldier is each of us as we remember who our heroes are.

Not born with it

I believe we all have some kind of passion within us. For some of us it’s having a particular passion for cooking or for racing cars. For others it’s for dribbling a basketball. None of us were born with a talent. But at some point in our development years or even later, we become passionate about something. We pursue it or we ignore it. If we pursue it long enough we become good at it, and as such “talented”. Turning a passion into a talent is what it’s all about.

When I was a student at the Academy of Art in San Francisco I wanted to be a Disney animator. I had been drawing since I could first hold a pencil. I thought I was pretty good at drawing until I got to the Academy. There I learned that I had to be a beginner all over again. But this pushed me to succeed. I had to accept that I had a LOT to learn. 

I made an effort to learn as much as I could from my teachers, who were all incredibly gifted in art. But importantly I would also pay attention to what the other art students were producing and what direction they wanted to go in art. Eventually some of my friends would be hired as animators at Disney and Dreamworks. During my freshman year one of my friends close friend, who had just graduated from the Academy, had been hired to LucasFilm. I remember hearing the stories of his experiences working for George Lucas and getting to know him. This was a big turning point for me. Later I started hearing news of talented Seniors finding art jobs in companies like Hallmark cards and Fox Animation. This inspired me to practice drawing day and night.

Practice makes perfect

For about three years in the mid-1990’s I was a workshop junkie. That is, I was an art student who attended drawing workshops at the Academy almost daily, in addition to being a full time student. The many 3 hour weekly workshops that I frequented ranged from 1 min poses to 3 hour poses. They were held Monday through Saturdays throughout the school year. There were fashion workshops, clothed figure workshops and nude figure workshops. Most of them were focused on drawing, but you could bring in your paints too. 

The most popular of the weekly workshops was on Friday nights; quick drawing. The student who ran it always had great models, great music and great stories. We all enjoyed the workshop. It was broken up into 1 min, 2 min, 3 min and 5 min poses. If you were one of the Academy’s top drawing students you were there. This attracted a lot of us to the Friday night drawing group. The Friday night session was how we learned what the other students were doing. For those with eyes and ears that wanted to improve, we would check out someones sketchbook. And if David Mar was using a Pigma micron 005 pen to sketch people on the Muni, we would do the same. 

If someone says you can’t, do it anyway

Mozart didn’t know how to play the piano fresh out of the womb. Perhaps close to it though. He just happened to really like music at a very young age and when he was old enough to hit the keys he practiced. He had all the right support and tutelage plus the incredible passion for it which is how he became a child prodigy. Then later a legendary composer. But it all started with a passion.

Practicing your passion is what it’s all about. If you love something, do it. It doesn’t matter what someone says about you or your skills. Do it in spite of them. Do not give up. Work harder and smarter. You will find your happy place and someday it will become a “talent”.

I believe we all have something we are naturally drawn to. For those that practice their passion often they get good at it. It’s just how it works. But don’t forget to take breaks so you don’t burn out or lose interest. Breaks are necessary for the longevity required to be “talented”.

Take advice from Forrest Gump when recounting his success: “When I got tired, I slept. When I got hungry, I ate. When I had to go, you know, I went.”

 

mid-relief sculpture of the Globe Refiners

The rarity of relief

Sculpting in relief is probably the rarest of art forms. It is difficult to find instruction on it for those wanting to learn the techniques. The courses offered are few and far-between because there is, simply enough, not a high demand for wanting to learn it. At least not compared to the more popular courses; modeling the portrait bust or sculpting from the nude model that every aspiring sculptor wants to learn. The few artists I know of that make bas-relief sculptures professionally are self taught.

Starting in 1995, I was a student at a well known fine art school in San Francisco; the Academy of Art College (now University). Not one of the many fine art classes offered back then focused on bas-relief. In fact, I didn’t see any fine art examples of relief sculpture until I visited Italy in 1998. There, it became obvious, that relief sculpture was once a popular art form. Later, when the internet became available, I began to see wonderful examples of bas-relief. Seeing examples from other artists helped me develop an appreciation and an understanding of how to do it. I began to take it seriously when I realized that relief sculpture had more to do with drawing and painting then three dimensional sculpture. What made it more closely related to painting was that it dealt with perspective.

So how do you learn sculpting in relief? Practice, practice, practice. 

What a relief!

The sculpture of the McPherson Globe Refiners was by far larger than any other relief sculpture I had made previously. The sculpture is what is known as a “mid-relief” monument. That is, it was sculpted between bas-relief (flat) and high-relief (3 dimensional). The highest points of the life size forms (from the background) are 8 inches in depth. The forms, essentially, were flattened by slightly more than 50% of real life. 

In mid-relief sculpture there are undercuts, unlike bas-relief. Undercuts, in my opinion, are what give a relief sculpture it’s added umph. It’s the dark shadows created from these undercuts that are it’s source.

For more information on the sculpture of the Globe Refiners history, click on portfolio then scroll down to the gallery “Globe Refiners Monument” which highlights the history of the team and the monument in central Kansas. Or visit Visit McPherson for more info on this dominant basketball team from central Kansas.

The Beats

The Beat generation inspired an era that I wish I could have lived through. The 1960s. I wouldn’t necessarily want to experience the rebellious nature of youth nor for the protests and the anti-government movements. Nor would I care to experience the pop art scene with artist like Andy Warhol leading the way or Jackson Pollock and the abstract expressionists walking the streets. But to experience the incredible music and originality from the mid to late 60’s fresh out of the gate would have been amazing.

The Beat goes on…

In 2018, I was asked to design and create a monument to two beat writers; Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady. The two were instrumental in shaping the 60’s with their unique writing style and subject matter. I indulged in the music of the 60’s (more then ever) and picked up Kerouac’s On The Road. And just like that I was living in the greatest decade.

A scaled down model, aka maquette, was sculpted at about 1/3 scale. The pose was interpreted from a photograph by Carolyn Cassady, Neals second wife. I was very conscious of creating the close bond between Neal (on the left) and Jack. They were close friends and the photograph depicts their friendship well and I had to pick up on these cues and re-interpret them in the clay. The comfort that these two straight men felt when hugging so close; the slight head tilt to one side, the embrace, their stance. It was all captured in the photograph and I had to pull as much as I could observe in order to create a living and breathing clay model.

Although the project is slow at getting off the ground, partially due to covid, there is still the same passion and drive to have this life size monument in bronze erected for the city of Denver, Colorado- Neal’s childhood home. The city is ready for it, the family of Neal are ready for it and a generation still moved by the beats are ready for it.

For more info about the project: https://denver.cbslocal.com/2020/01/26/neal-cassady-monument-denver/

https://303magazine.com/2019/03/cassady-kerouac-sculpture-denver/