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I was approached last year to sculpt a St Paul for a lovely old Federation Catholic Church in Gawler, South Australia. The town itself is one of the earliest towns after free settlers came to South Australia to live and there is many fine old examples of early cottages and business buildings in the area.
The church itself was built around 1900 and is predominately red brick and features four niches across the front of the church and were probably meant to house statues of the saints.
After researching the history and clothing and symbols for the saint, I began work on a half life size
saint in clay.
I had a large job as a sculptor for two war figures for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander War Memorial which was to begin soon but I was waiting on the go ahead for this job which had been held up, so I took on this smaller job whilst I was waiting for the larger job to go ahead.
The niches were rather tall but shallow and were fancily shaped with cut brick.
The figure needed to be raised as the space was too tall for the figure so wood was added under the feet for height.
I decided to change the book for a scroll denoting letters. St Paul is dressed as a traveller with a cloak.
Details of the feet,
head, sandals and sword.
TUT foundry came to the studio and wrapped the soft clay sculpture to transport it back to their foundry where they would proceed with the mouldmaking , waxes and the lost wax method of producing a bronze.
St Paul in bronze, coloured at the foundry
.
The church itself was built around 1900 and is predominately red brick and features four niches across the front of the church and were probably meant to house statues of the saints.
After researching the history and clothing and symbols for the saint, I began work on a half life size
saint in clay.
I had a large job as a sculptor for two war figures for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander War Memorial which was to begin soon but I was waiting on the go ahead for this job which had been held up, so I took on this smaller job whilst I was waiting for the larger job to go ahead.
The niches were rather tall but shallow and were fancily shaped with cut brick.
The figure needed to be raised as the space was too tall for the figure so wood was added under the feet for height.
I decided to change the book for a scroll denoting letters. St Paul is dressed as a traveller with a cloak.
Details of the feet,
TUT foundry came to the studio and wrapped the soft clay sculpture to transport it back to their foundry where they would proceed with the mouldmaking , waxes and the lost wax method of producing a bronze.
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| Preparation for installation |
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| Installed in the niche |
Michael with his generous gift to the church, myself and Tim from TUT Foundry
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| The blessing on St Peter and Paul Feast Day, 29th June 2013 |
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| Thick fog going home after the service |
