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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/

In the beginning…

Being an artist is never an easy task. No one can tell you what you need to do in order to be successful. What you learn along the way is either useful to what you want to do or it is not. Eventually, through a series of trial runs you may find what you love to do. Then you can start to target what you need to learn in order to be successful. My journey as a sculptor was not easy. But I never gave up.

In 1998, after working in animation I worked for a halloween mask making company in the San Francisco Bay Area. I can’t remember the first mask I ever sculpted, but it was likely a monster or alien head, since those were popular masks. After a few weeks I was trusted to sculpt various realistic faces that were needed. Life size portrait busts of George W. Bush, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jack Nicholson, Monica Lewinski (yes there was a demand for her when Clinton was president) and several others were portraits I recall having sculpted. The busts were then turned into halloween masks and sold on the market. I remember modeling several masks of Cassandra Peterson, aka Elvira and other faces that required more anatomically correct likenesses.

There were about five or so clay sculptors all doing the same thing, each artist with a special skill. Molds would then be made in the next room over by a dedicated group of artisans and then those molds were shipped to China for mass production before hitting the market. Unfortunately, I rarely ventured out of the sculpting room so I didn’t get the chance to learn the other processes in detail.

A new calling

After a couple of months making halloween masks Mario Chiodo, the owner, asked me if I’d be interested in sculpting large monuments. At 23 years old any opportunity Mario wanted to throw my way would have made me happy. Heck, I would have scrubbed toilets with a toothbrush if it meant being hired to the coolest company and learning from a great sculptor. I was eager to learn and excited for the trust that he was showing me. Not only was Mario an incredible sculptor, he was a great business man and a genuinely good person all around.

In early summer of 1998, Mario brought me over to a warehouse a few blocks from the halloween company which had a couple of large sculptures in progress. James, Todd, Michael and Debra were hard at work on what was Mario’s first casino sculpture: “The Greenbacks”, still located at Harrah’s casino in Las Vegas.

Immediately I joined Todd and went to work on the other large monument “Birds of Paradise”, this one about 8 or 9 feet tall. From the first stroke of the tool I fell in love with making large scale sculptures. I especially loved problem solving and the challenges working large. The large commercial buildings where we worked in in the east bay were inspiring. With 16 foot rollup doors leading into a large and somewhat empty space filled my mind with possibilities and ideas. Sometimes there would be five or more monuments happening simultaneously. I loved talking with the other assistants, getting my hands dirty and feeling like an artist.

Eventually, I got to meet Mario’s main client for the casino sculptures, Henry Conversano. Henry used to drive up in a cherry-red dodge viper and he looked like Las Vegas! He was confident, well respected and enjoyed his time visiting Mario and his assistants. Sometime after meeting Henry I began designing a few of the monuments under Mario’s guidance. If memory serves we all did a little designing for Mario.

It was hands-on learning and by far better than any art school education out there. I had found my calling and I was ready to jump into the monument business head first.

The best kind of vice is ADvice

One day, Mario was alone working late and I somewhat awkwardly told him how much I wanted to start my own sculpture company, perhaps even run a foundry. I didn’t really expect him to care much at all. After all, I was young and had only been sculpting for him for about 4 or 5 months. But he saw my love for large scale sculpture and that I wanted to learn. Over the next few weeks he shared his thoughts with me when he wasn’t busy running around. Although I may be paraphrasing this short list here is some of the advice that has stuck with me over the years; 

1. You have to crawl before you walk, walk before you run and run before you fly. Everything is done in that order.
2. There is no immediate success in the sculpture business. 
3. You have to make your own luck. And the harder and smarter you work the luckier you get.
4. Go to Italy! It will change your life.
5. Don’t get your overhead so large where everything collapses (although this may have come from Mario’s cousin Denny)

I listened. I went to Italy and it did change my life. When I came back, I worked. I worked alone and hard…And I worked harder, then smarter.

The journey

After working for Mario off and on for a couple years I decided to leave the bay area. My first job after leaving Northern California was as a sculpting assistant for Danielle Anjou in Santa Barbara, CA. After moving to Loveland, CO I worked for sculptors Gary Lange and Dee Clements. It was working for Dee Clements that gave me that final missing link that would soon allow me to get the ball rolling as my own artist. Dee taught me how to make good urethane molds, pour waxes into molds, chase waxes, weld and chase bronze. I also learned how to do patinas, maintain a working studio and greet clients with a smile.

After working for Dee for a couple of years I felt confident to go out on my own. I purchased equipment, found a large studio to work in and eventually started Sutton Betti Sculptures, Inc.

Passing the torch 

Recently I made the decision to hire a full-time sculpting assistant, one that is a little like me; hard-working, talented and determined to find his/her path in this business. Someone reliable that I can teach as much as I can.

I am optimistic. Optimistic that the skills I carry can be passed on.

 

The transformation of permanent art

I made two life size outdoor statues that are similar to each other in pose and feeling, but they are two different sculptures. Over time the meaning of the first one changed and I feel compelled to dissect how this happened. The two sculptures are Remembering and Remembering the Fallen. The transformation of permanent art happens. As we continue to create art, especially when we revisit a theme, it’s original concept can change. While both are US Marines kneeling and remembering, there are two slight differences that I’ll try to articulate here.

Remembering

Remembering is a kneeling soldier from the war on terror and represents a soldier fighting in the War in Afghanistan. This was the first US Marine I sculpted and was made a few years before Remembering the Fallen. The life size sculpture was modeled after a friend, a US Marine who served at the start of the war in Afghanistan.

The Marine is kneeling holding his combat helmet in his right arm and his left hand raised up against a wall. The wall is symbolic. It could be a concrete wall that was blasted from an attack or a wall symbolizing remembrance. The bronze military sculpture was designed to be remembering a fallen brother. That was what I had in my head while creating the original in clay. Over the years, however, the meaning has changed. This is partially due to the creation of another in the series, which I’ll detail below. I’ve reimagined him as remembering not a single soldier. Instead, he is remembering the sacrifices he and others make for the sake of freedom. Or perhaps it is the collateral loss or the price of war. Memories stay with us especially traumatic ones.

Remembering the Fallen

Remembering the Fallen is the second version in my Remembering “series” and was sculpted in 2017. This modern day soldier is not clutching his helmet or with his hand raised to a wall, but instead he is holding a folded flag. A ceremonial folded flag.

When I first made this sculpture my thought was would an active-duty soldier really be carrying a folded flag to combat? Initially, this question persisted in my head. But, I decided, after internal debating, if he recently lost a family member in war he might carry one.

This soldier is in a different emotional loss than the first Remembering. He takes the loss deeper. Deep enough to carry the most important memory he now has of his brother or sister, to the most dangerous locations on earth. To honor and to hold someone close one last time.

The meaning behind this newer sculpture seems to have transformed my thoughts on the previous sculpture. It’s weird how that happens.

When I first posted Remembering the Fallen on social media, it went something near viral.  It had hundreds of shares in a matter of days. It was impressive. I immediately started getting emails, private messages and phone calls from people who fell in love with it. They were from all over the country and what a surprise it was!

Meaning of an artwork can change, but the artwork itself doesn’t

It is interesting how time changes our views on something. Time changes our views on life, family, things we cherish or don’t cherish. We may have hated some of our teachers when we were in school but now we see their good side. But to stay on track, views on art change as well with time even though the artwork doesn’t. The transformation of permanent art is very real. In the case of Remembering vs. Remembering the Fallen, I think that because I had created a similar mood and pose with the second sculpture that it changed my views on the first sculpture.

I have admired and continue to admire many works of art, especially through social media which makes it easy to study someones artwork. Some artwork seem to have meaning or feeling that changes with time. Perhaps morphing into something else. I imagine the Mona Lisa and the Thinker are the best examples. They weren’t seen as icons of painting or sculpture right out of the womb, but they are now.

In Summary

An artworks feeling/energy/meaning/depth etc changes with time. But all artwork doesn’t change on the same level. Some probably don’t change at all. And that is what is fascinating to me. What makes artwork stand the test of time?

As I approach half a century on our planet art becomes more and more important to me. Some might say art is even more valued today with social media and the broader audience artists can get. Art changes us and gives us a place to put our thoughts and emotions. Art can be our worst enemy one day and our best friend the next. While the artwork itself doesn’t change, maybe we do.

 

Earlier this year I began sculpting a life size K9 sculpture for a veterans memorial in Ohio. The sculpture is a tribute to military working dogs and was inspired by my dad’s dog Sarge.

Sarge, a beautiful German Sheppard, was adopted as a puppy and trained to be my dad’s service dog. Since my dad suffered from mild PTSD from his service in Vietnam, Sarge would help him cope with his condition. He was my dad’s best friend and was with him till the very end on their last walk together on April 30, 2015.

With Sarge living in Southern California having him sit for me at my studio in northern Colorado wasn’t feasible. So, I went in search of finding a local German Sheppard, similar in build, that I could use for reference for the life size sculpture. I called a couple of dog training businesses and one of them, K9 Wisdom Training in Loveland, responded that they had a beautiful, young Sheppard. I met with the trainer to snap pictures and take measurements of the German Sheppard posing as a military service dog. 

The military dog statue was then created in my studio in Loveland, Colorado. After one month of sculpting and three months at the foundry Liberty was finished.

Liberty is a tribute to military working dogs

Representing all military dogs, the monument honors the sacrifices all war dogs make that give us the freedoms we enjoy. Liberty was also created in memory of my dad. The project got its start on the five year anniversary of his death.

The bronze sculpture now stands guard at the fallen soldier memorial in the center of Bloomville Veterans Memorial in Bloomville, Ohio. She was installed September 2, 2020 completing a five year construction project that began in 2015.

Recently I came back from beautiful Wisconsin where I delivered three of my life size bronze sculptures to clients who are building a large veterans memorial along the Eau Claire river. I have been working with the foundation since late 2019 to create sculptures for the Wisconsin Veterans Memorial. This past week I finally got to see the site where it will all come together.

The Chippewa Valley Veterans Tribute is being created in Altoona, WI in several phases. Phase I will be dedicated Memorial Day 2021. The goal of the park is to honor those who have served in the United States military.

I met with the foundation members over dinner on Wednesday and got a tour of the site the following day. Later we temporarily installed the sculptures at a nearby veterans organizations. The sculptures are two Honor Guard sculptures, also known as Sentinels, and a Gold Star Mother with poppies. A “Red Arrow” Infantry Division soldier is depicted in the WWII Sentinel. The other Sentinel is a US Marine.

The three sculptures will be the first group of monuments permanently installed next spring 2021. Details in the coming months.

For more information and to follow the progress of the site, please click here

 

Honor Guard, presenting arms

Present Arms, Honor Guard was first created to guard the entrance to a veterans park in Nebraska. American Veterans Park is a tribute to all United States Veterans and recognizes their service and sacrifice. As a real Honor Guard guards National Monuments and provides military funeral honors, this life size bronze sculpture guards the entrance to a veterans park in a small town.

In the beginning…

In 2017 I was asked to provide concept sketches of a US Army and Marine Honor Guard presenting arms. Presenting Arms is a common command in all branches of the military all over the world. It is used to show respect and honor when presenting weapons. 

The initial sketch, although rough, represents an Honor Guard from the modern day War on Terror. The sketch was enough to get a green light to create the first life size, limited edition version. Since my clients were familiar with my work it wasn’t necessary to create a small maquette or more detailed 2D renderings. Generally, these are necessary before beginning a large sculpture in order to illustrate how the finished artwork would look.

Full size clay model

Before I began the full size clay original I studied the “inspiration photo” for posture and general anatomy as well as how the uniform fit the soldier. The photo was heavily referenced throughout the claying up process for accuracy. Since there are always questions that arise during the process having this handy was essential.

I received a uniform jacket, trousers, gloves, shoes, cap as well as a replica firearm as reference to sculpt from from the same committee member. A model was hired to pose in the uniform and photos were taken in-the-round before I began work. After five weeks and around 200 hours of careful clay modeling the 5’ 10” tall sculpture was completed. 

There are some artists who have told me that this sculpture is too technical. Or that it doesn’t leave enough room for interpretation. For me, I get satisfaction when there is less margin for error and perhaps even less room for expression in a sculpture. In my mind, if you can pull off a very strict pose and give the sculpture energy, life and maybe even make it identifiable to your past works then you have success. 

For a more detailed description of the process from finished clay to bronze casting please visit my YouTube video. This video highlights the bronze casting process using another sculpture.

Below are photos of the sculpture in various stages of completion.