Loveland Art for All Ages

Loveland, Colorado is known for sculpture. We have several bronze foundries here, 2 sculpture parks, and scads of sculptors live here...and hundreds more travel here every year for our big summer sculpture shows.

Bronze sculpture is the most common...and what many people think of when they think sculpture...and we have some gorgeous examples of bronze sculpture in town. Of course, sculptures can be made out of other metals as well...

Stone sculpture is a personal favorite of mine and probably the other image that people come up with when they hear the word "sculpture"...perhaps it is visions of Michelangelo's David that come to mind. Here we have an entire park dedicated to stone sculpture from Zimbabwe.

Well, the Bronze and Stone Ages are not the only epochs covered (art-wise) in Loveland! We also have a market on the Ice Age! And it isn't just because we got 8 inches of snow recently.

Have you ever seen an ice sculpture? I'm not talking about the snow sculptures, like they have in Breckenridge...those are beautiful, but this is a different art form.

Ice sculptures are often created for restaurants...I remember seeing my first ice sculptures when I was a kid...the Sunday buffet always had a beautiful work of art. I remember thinking it was really cool (no pun intended) but not really giving any thought as to how it was created.

But where does that beautiful, clear ice come from?

Is there a giant freezer somewhere with great big ice cube trays?

As it turns out, Loveland, Colorado is the place where the technology was developed that creates the crystal-clear blocks of ice. This was way back and the company is still here and sells equipment around the world.

Instead of working from one massive ice cube, the ice sculptor works with blocks that are joined together with water and cold. In this case the blocks are about 20 inches x 40 inches and are about 10 inches thick. These blocks take about 4 days to freeze!

In Loveland, these artist's blocks are created every day and travel across the country. The key to getting the ice crystal-clear? Keep the water moving as it is freezing and remove any impurities as it freezes.

Ice sculpture is like stone carving in that it is a subtractive process. In this case the sculptor uses a chain saw, drills and other specialized tools. Many sculptors create these temporary works of art completely free hand, but others are created with special molds. Routers, lathes, and other machines associated with woodworking have been created to handle the frozen medium as well.

One of the things that makes ice sculpture so unique is, of course, the transparent nature of the medium and that you can freeze things inside it. The other big difference is that the work is temperature sensitive and so, unlike a work of bronze or stone which will last for centuries, this masterpiece may last a few days or even just a few hours.

If you want more information about ice for ice sculpture, and to see some examples of what can be done with it, check out Loveland's own ice sculpture shop!

Read about a recent ice sculpture created here in Loveland by Chef and carver Michael Pizzuto

Raw Stones and Sculptures on Sale

Chapungu Warehouse & Gallery is having a Thank You Promotion
You can get 50% off all craft items, catalogs & books AND RAW STONE from Zimbabwe!

This is a great deal if you are a stone sculptor...I know I'll be heading over there to pick some stone up!

Also you can get 40% off all other sculptures...and if you want to commission a piece you can get 20% off that! This is a great opportunity for you to start or add to your art collection! They represent some of the very best sculptors in Zimbabwe and have pieces in all range of sizes and prices.

If you've never been, this is a fantastic opportunity to meet some fantastic people and see some gorgeous sculpture from Zimbabwe. (If you've already been there, then you know what I'm talking about!)

Address: 1052 N. Boise Ave, Unit B (it is a BIG warehouse, in the back), Loveland, CO
Tel: 970-461-8020

Check out their website: www.ChapunguSculpturePark.com
And if you want to email them: rgatchap@aol.com

And if you enjoy what you see there, be sure to check out the Chapungu Sculpture Park, located at I-25 and Hwy 34 in Loveland. Only 1 hour north of Denver...well worth the drive...the best collection of Sculpture from Zimbabwe in North America!

Exceptional Day at Sculpture Invitational

Yesterday I spent an incredible day at the Sculpture Invitational here in Loveland, Colorado. We are so fortunate to live in a community that is so supportive of the arts...and to have not just one, but TWO huge sculpture shows every summer.

I noticed a lot of new exhibitors this year. It was fun to see the quality of the new work and to also catch up with some returning favorites...talk about what they have been up to, new works they have created, shows they are participating in, successes they've been having, and new grandkids arriving!

Met one lady who is 90 years old. She says this is her last show. She'll keep sculpting, but says she is "tired" of the shows...I asked when she started sculpting and she said when she was a little girl. She used to carve corn cobs!

Ran into several past favorites with really wonderful additions. Ann Fleming has added some bas reliefs to her collection. Very nice. Phillip Feaster finished a piece he was working on last year and added another called "Kelp Dance"...I swear I was in the kelp forest off Monterey when I looked at that one. Victor Issa finished "The Power of Thought" and it is magnificent.

Had some great conversations about stones, carving and special techniques...John Christensen, Marv Poulson, Jeff Schaezle and so many more!

Met some cool woodworkers...making me think about giving that a try! Thanks for all the info William Ooms, Lew Hammer (don't you just love that name for a sculptor!), Michael Bauermeister (another great name for a guy working in wood!)

One 1st timer that I was especially impressed with is Lisa Arquette. She combines wood, metal (bronze, polished pewter), and glass. She does it all herself. Lots of symbolism behind her work. Very powerful.

Another 1st time exhibitor was David Mallin...very sensual work...love the play of the shadows.

Saw old friends with wonderful new pieces...Greg Todd, Lori Acott-Fowler, Jeff Schaezle, Sam Terakedis, Monty Taylor...

Also ran into friends not exhibiting...Stalin Tafura (congrats on your recent sale & award in the Sculptural Pursuit competition!), Collen Nyanhongo (very interesting conversation on the challenges in moving a permanent installation in Ft Collins), Kathryn Schroeder (Chapungu Gallery) ...

Thanks to everyone for a fantastic show. It was great to see you all and to hear how well you are doing!

Sculpture Goes Missing: Loveland Sculptor May Recreate Historic Work

Kirsten Kokkin is one of 5 artists selected as finalists in the Angel of Music competition. This competition is to be the artist selected to recreate a sculpture that was on the gravestie of American composer and pianist Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829-1869). The sculpture went missing in the 1950s.

How does a sculpture go missing? I guess someone must have really liked it. The marble angel was almost 5 feet tall. Also taken was the 6-1/2 foot tall marble pedestal. This is no small feat! I mean, it is not like you can just put that in your pocket!

In preparation for the new work, the pedestal has already been restored and an anitque wrought iron fence has been installed, along with greenery.

The sculpture competition is being put forth by a 501c(3) organizaion the Green-Wood Historic Fund. This organization conserves and restores the Brooklyn NY, Green-Wood Cemetery's endangered monuments. The cemetery is listed as a National Historic Landmark, is 171 years old and is the final resting place of many historical figures including Leonard Bernstein, Horace Greeley, FAO Schowartz, Samuel Morse and Boss Tweed.

Kirsten Kokkin is one of our talented local sculptors...who like most us moved here from somewhere else.

One of the things I really appreciate (dare I say "love"?) about living in Loveland, Colorado is our art community. Not just the artists, but how the community as a group embraces the arts.

We have beautiful sculptures all around the city, wonderful galleries and a fantastic museum. Kokkin's work has created quite a local controversy in the past when she created an exquisite piece, The Triangle, that was in the classical tradition, including the figures being nude. The piece ended up being relocated and can be seen in the Benson Sculpture Park.

Agnes Nyanhongo Sculptor from Zimbabwe

Really nice post about the fabulous sculptor (and incredible woman) Agnes Nyanhongo.

If you have never seen her work, you can see some photos by clicking the link and reading this post. You can also see Agnes' work in Loveland, Colorado at the Chapungu Sculpture Park where many of her larger pieces are part of a beautiful multi-acrea display. Some of Agnes' smaller pieces are available for sale through the Chapungu Gallery.

I'm honored to have met and sculpted alongside Agnes while she has been visiting Colorado in the past...and I look forward to seeing her again soon!















The Chapungu Gallery and Sculpture Park feature extremely talented stone sculptors from Zimbabwe. The park is off I-25 and Hwy 34, only 1 hour from Boulder and Denver, en route to Ft Collins and Greeley.

We are fortunate in Loveland to be home to many, many talented sculptors and TWO fantastic sculpture parks!

Making Time for What Feeds My Soul

Yesterday was an awesome day...the first day in a long time that I actually went into the studio.

Don't ask why. There are lots of "reasons"...but no good justification for it.

I kept telling myself that I was too busy. It takes a long time to carve a stone and I "didn't have time"... I had to focus on other tasks that were "more important"...what I was forgetting was that keeping myself happy is one of the most important things I can do in this life.

Lesson to self: remember to feed your soul and you will be fed for the rest of your life.

Do You Maquette?

As a sculptor, do you make a maquette before moving to your final piece?

I know many sculptors who do...and just as many who do not.

For art lovers who may not know what I'm talking about, a maquette is a miniature version of what the piece will ultimately turn out to be. This miniature gives the artist an opportunity to work out in 3 dimensions poses, the flow of the piece...basically the composition of the work. Maquettes are frequently made from clay, even if the final piece is to be carved from stone.

Some sculptors will even have a maquette bronzed...to be clear, a maquette is not the same as having a small sculpture that the artist then chooses to enlarge.

Some sculptors make their maquette in full detail. Others make only a rough model, enough to give them the composition details.

Personally, when carving stone I rarely create a maquette. I was taught a drawing method...I will actually draw on paper and directly on the stone. For me this allow a more direct relationship with the stone and the flexibility to work with the stone as it is rather than forcing my maquette vision upon it.

That being said, there are times when I grab some clay in order to work out a particular flow or shape...but my maquettes are not things of beauty! They are more like gesture drawings...just enough for me to get the feel of where I want to go with a piece.

I'd love to hear from other sculptors if they do or do not create maquettes, why, and to what level of finish do they take their maquettes!

New Sites to View

I ran across some sculptor friends on Facebook (I'm new to this whole part of the internet)--I've added them to my recommended sites list but check out their work.

Stalin Tafura is a native of Zimbabwe. He comes from a family of stone sculptors. I have had the privilege of working with both he and his mother, Agnes Nyanhongo. Strong, elegant lines that at once reflect and break away from the family style. This young man is proving himself an excellent craftsman as well as unique artist.

Lorri Acott-Fowler works in clay and in bronze. Long legged images that provoke feelings of exploration, peace & harmony. Lorri brings a thoughtfulness to her work which is often filled with joy and light--not to be confused with being unsubstantial!

Stone Monuments

I've long been a fan of cemeteries. Even before I ever carved a stone, I enjoyed looking at the different headstones and monuments.

I was fascinated by the stories I read on the headstones, and those I imagined, and in awe at the incredible carvings out of stone.

Don't overlook your local Monument Works as a source for beautiful art. Many will create pieces for your home, not just your burial plot. We have a company in Greeley (The Greeley Monument Works) that has been in business for over 100 years and they have an entire portfolio of pieces they have created for gardens.

Whether you want a piece to remember a loved one who passed or just want a nice piece for your garden, keep these craftsmen in mind when you are looking for options.

Testing Stones for Carving, Part 4

Today's test is specifically about softness of the stone.

This is important for the beginner especially. With limited tools and experience, you want to start with soft stones.

To test for softness, it is best if you have a point or chisel and possibly a rasp with you. Before you take any tools to the stone, be sure to ask. Most reputable dealers will say okay, but you haven't bought it yet and you will be scratching it up, so I ask.

Take your rasp or file and rub it across the stone. Does the stone yield easily? Either flaking or creating a powder? That indicates it is probably a soft and workable stone.

You can also take a chisel or point and hit a small corner of the stone. If the stone chips off easily it is soft.

On the other hand, a stone that appears soft, may be too soft--or have other issues.

White marbles that have been outdoors in the weather can become "sugary". I learned this the hard way. It is a distinctly different thing than being "soft." When the rasp runs across the stone if the powder is like powdered sugar...keep testing! Take your chisel to a bit of the stone. If the stone feels like it is disintegrating, pass on that stone. It will literally dissolve while you work!

If the stone is not a white marble and you think you like it, wet a small area and run your finger nail across it. If your fingernail can scratch it, it is an extremely soft stone--in the neighborhood of soap stone. These can be beautiful stones, but the scratch very easily and so it will be more difficult to have a finished piece without any unwanted scratches.

Testing Stones for Carving, Part 3

We covered a basic visual test and then the hearing test. If your stone passed both those tests, it is ready for another visual test.

Wet the stone with water. The entire stone. Some people just squirt the stone a little, but this really just gives you an idea of the color of the stone, not the quality. So, this is not dab a little water on part of the stone and see how pretty it looks...

With the stone wet, look for any dark lines--typically thin and fairly straight.

I'm not talking about color variation like veins in marble. Look for lines that seem to go through or around the stone. This usually means there is a crack in the stone, or a layer of different material that will probably cause your beautiful stone to break into two or more pieces.

Tomorrow we'll talk about testing stones for softness!

Testing Stones for Carving, Part 2

Yesterday we covered the initial visual observation "test", today we will move on to a test involving a different sense--that of hearing!

Keep in mind that no test is 100%, that said, here goes.

This is the first test I was taught--I take my point and tap the stone lightly all over. Some people use a hammer, the theory is the same. Listen to the stone as you tap it. You are listening for a bright, clear sound. If you hear more of a "thud" or if it sounds kind of hollow, you don't want that stone. We call it "dead."

Try the tapping technique on several stones and listen to the differences.

This is good a time to mention that you should ALWAYS listen to your stones. Know what your stone sounds like when you start and listen to any changes that occur as you work it. You may be coming up on a hidden flaw that could destroy your piece if you ignore the sound change!

Your stones literally "talk" to you as you work. Part of your job as the sculptor is to listen.

Tomorrow we will talk about one more visual test for our stones.

Testing Stones for Carving, Part 1

If you pick up "any old stone" and try to carve it, you could be setting yourself up for more troubles and heartaches then if you take a little time and test the stone.

The first "test" is to visually inspect the stone on all sides for any imperfections. Imperfections include cracks and soft spots, veins of different materials (harder or softer than the main stone.) These flaws can lead to the stone breaking or perhaps challenging the sculptor due to the differences in tools and techniques required.

Look at all sides of the stone for obvious imperfections. Because stones are natural, there will be (naturally) imperfections. Some will be hidden inside and you won't know they are there. Others will be glaring.

Some imperfections add "personality" or "character" and you may be tempted to work around them. These imperfections include imbedded crystals and fossils, and stones with big holes or pockets in them. While these may be beautiful to look at and could possibly be worked into an awesome piece by an advanced carver, they indicate that the stone has different levels of hardness which makes carver more of a challenge.

For a beginner, it is recommended that you have as few imperfections as possible. A stone that is consistent throughout in grain and character will be much easier for you to carve.

Tomorrow in Testing Stones for Carving, Part 2 I'll teach you the first test I ever learned!