Father Tony Frey from the Holy Trinity Catholic Church,in Curtin, Australian Capital Territory, commissioned a sculpture of St Anthony of Padua in 2013
![](//1.bp.blogspot.com/-q7pvmOkN0UU/U9eBRFaK8pI/AAAAAAAACqo/3O9cB20HnBg/s1600/mmck+02.jpeg) |
St Mary MacKillop |
I had previously sculpted a bust of St Mary MacKillop for
the church and Father Tony had two plinths made when St Mary MacKillop
bronze was finished.
![](//1.bp.blogspot.com/-wtLXvQaKzlQ/U9eBPPmsP0I/AAAAAAAACqY/siZcvkltrYw/s1600/anth+02.jpeg) |
St Anthony of Padua |
![](//3.bp.blogspot.com/-T5w2F-2A_VY/U9eGEnoVmYI/AAAAAAAACq8/HkWKjDjVFqs/s1600/Concept+01.jpg) |
Sketches |
I researched the subject and made some sketches for the sculpture and also made several small maquettes to work out the possible placement of the Baby Jesus.
![](//3.bp.blogspot.com/-QGP_vNPfvX4/U9eN32ncbJI/AAAAAAAACrM/C85DPSm7sJE/s1600/P1030046.JPG) |
Maquette 1 in clay |
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-e7lFjSsCNGg/U9eN69Pj_8I/AAAAAAAACrY/vowHQWFmz4M/s1600/P1070315.JPG) |
Maquette 2 in plasticine |
![](//2.bp.blogspot.com/-xeKX1GCZ2L4/U9eN6dGokYI/AAAAAAAACrU/IWR8xJg9_bA/s1600/P1070341.JPG) |
Maquette 3 in Plasticine |
After the general sculpture was approved I then welded a basic armature to begin the modelling.
The sculpture needed to be about the same size as the Mary MacKillop sculpture as the plinths were the same size.
I proposed to have a life sized bust of St Anthony wearing the traditional habit of a Franciscan Monk.
He would be depicted in his early 30's with a tonsure hairstyle and would be holding the Christ Child in his hands and be looking at the child whilst the child would be looking forward with his hand lifted.
I began with St Anthony and worked on his habit and the tilt of his head.
![](//1.bp.blogspot.com/-NykIWyKoLlM/U9eO-c56ytI/AAAAAAAACro/T1c-szlncFY/s1600/P1030898.jpg) |
Beginning work |
![](//1.bp.blogspot.com/-paR3dpcm7YU/U9eO-WzlSvI/AAAAAAAACrk/JLK4Qzn1r00/s1600/P1030911.jpg) |
Working Habit |
began the child's body
and attached it to St Anthony
![](//3.bp.blogspot.com/-DpZzXw2oqDY/U9eQke454JI/AAAAAAAACsA/eC1hrYeztiw/s1600/P1030926.jpg) |
Working the child to fit with the body of the monk |
![](//2.bp.blogspot.com/-qaJ3_JIJ_jo/U9eSee7-zSI/AAAAAAAACsc/VVUXiJpyND8/s1600/P1030943sm.jpg) |
Back View |
![](//1.bp.blogspot.com/-KFbCyg23xLA/U9eSeKxJl9I/AAAAAAAACsY/Z8Yo7XGic5A/s1600/P1030991.jpg) |
Modelling hand and arm positions |
Looking at hand positions
Whilst working on this piece I worked with two families with young boys 12 months old.
I needed the fathers to hold their sons in a comfortable position. I was able to photograph them and work out the best position for the sculpture of the Christ child.
The work had to be shipped to a foundry in Victoria so the sculpture was photographed then wrapped in Gladwrap and foam to be picked up by a carrier to be shipped 900km to the foundry.
![](//2.bp.blogspot.com/-kJEi3tae_3M/U9eSeFL8snI/AAAAAAAACsU/eFDUG_4Ig2I/s1600/P1040177.jpg) |
Happy with hands |
The foundry received the sculpture in good order and began moulds of the sculpture.
I flew to Melbourne to look at the work after casting.
![](//4.bp.blogspot.com/-o9A57KqNHMs/U-C6A-OLfvI/AAAAAAAACs8/q7DEpJuEOK0/s1600/P1050064.JPG) |
St Anthony at the foundry |
Here Cameron welds on the hand
![](//2.bp.blogspot.com/-2ndK9GIq1H8/U-C6FWb5dBI/AAAAAAAACtE/m1rj0PZh9ds/s1600/P1050069.JPG) |
Sand blasting before patination |
The cast is sand blasted before patination .
![](//3.bp.blogspot.com/-69aNu3wQ4R0/U-C6F20crSI/AAAAAAAACtI/eCQCOM9Flhs/s1600/P1050081.JPG) |
Heating St Anthony for further Patination
|
![](//2.bp.blogspot.com/-_MqTSmQlE_s/U-C6Jd6dkNI/AAAAAAAACtU/zqgEhp7r1Aw/s1600/P1050086.JPG) |
The colours of patination need adjusting. |
|
St Anthony is packed and shipped to the church at Curtin, ACT.
The blessing of the sculpture was on March 29th 2014.
No comments:
Post a Comment