A Great Opportunity for Figure and Portrait Clay
Modeling and Casting

By Pia Sillem

Tt hasn't been easy to
find classical trained
instructors in portrai-
ture in Vancouver.

After a long search I
met my first instruc-
tor in the mid 90's at
the Vancouver Art
Academy. Sadly for
us. after only a few
sessions Morag
MacLean moved
back to her native
Scotland. She had done work for the Wax Museum in London and worked.

in Vancouver mostly in the film industry.

She was greatly missed. It was about that time that I found out about the
West Coast Clay Sculptor’s Association. Some of the people of Morag’s classes
joined the WCCSA and got together on Saturdays to work on our own from
a model in a rented space at 1000 Parker in Vancouver. The WCCSA also
organizes weekend workshops and a yearly exhibition by their members. It’s
worth while to check out their informative web site: www.members.shaw/
wecsa

Last year they invited Silviu Bejan for a two weekend workshop. I was
delighted to find a new teacher! Later that year Silviu was asked to teach one
session at the Vancouver Art Academy before the Academy moved to Gastown.
Unfortunately in their new location they dont offer any more sculpture classes.

Responding to a need for clay figure and portrait sculptors, three talented
artists/teachers got together and are now offering classes in figure clay modeling,
portrait modeling and casting this spring 2004 in the “Hungry Thumb Stu-
dio” situated at 233 Main Street (half a block north of Powell Street, west
side)

They call themselves the “3Dx3 group”: Ken Clarke, Silviu Bejan and Santo
Mignosa.

The studio is ideally suited for 3D work, which includes a large working

space, a well ventilated casting area and a storage space for works in progress.
Public parking is available in the immediate vicinity.

The following is a brief description of classes being offered, as submitted by
the instructors.

For registration, please contact: Olga Campbell at olgacl @telus.net or phone
604 224-6730

March 2004

Potters Guild of British Columbia

V4 f Modeling the Figure in clay. ~\\

Beginners/ Intermediate
By Santo Mignosa
This is an introductory/intermediate course in clay fig-
ure modeling with practical demonstrations and some
illustrated lectures. The figure is presented in its ma-
jor areas of interest, i-e. the skeletal framework and its
impact on surface appearances. Students will be shown
how to block major component parts, their relation-
ships and proportions and how muscles move from
their origins to their insertions, creating precise thrusts,
while defining particular parts of the body. You will of
course, work with live models.
Intermediate level students will have the opportunity
to further investigate the structural aspects of the hu-
man body, identifying major points of reference and
muscular groupings. Sessions are designed to maxi-
mize research through continuous practical exercises
and sustained studies.
Santo Mignosa is a graduate from the Art Institute of
Florence, Italy and the N.Y. State University at Alfred,
N.Y., with many years of teaching ceramics and
sculpture.
Class size: 8-10 students. Cost: $290 plus $60 for
armature and clay.
Schedule: Weekends - June 5 and 6, 12 and 13
Time: 10.00am -12 noon and 1.00 pm - 5.00pm

Modeling the portrait in clay.
By Silviu Bejan

An introductory course in portrait clay modeling. Ana-
tomical references will be stressed throughout this
workshop, in an attempt to clarify how the bone frame-
work of the skull effects all muscles and skin coverage.
Students will be taught how to make an armature, how
to block major areas of the head, the various propor-
tions and relationships, as well how the muscles effect
surface appearances, especially those of the face.

Mr. Bejan is a classically educated artist with a Mas-
ters degree in sculpture and drawing from the G.
Enesco” Art Institute of Jassy. Romania.

Class size: 8-10 students. Cost $290: plus $40 for
clay and armature.
Schedule: Saturdays: May 1, 8, 15 and 22
Time 10.00am — 12 noon and 1.00pm — 5.00pm

Casting Workshop.
By Ken Clarke
Mold making is an essential skill, enabling students to
reproduce a clay or plasticene image into a variety of
more permanent material, either singly or in editions.
Traditionally waste mold processes will be taught for
positive casting in FGR 95 plaster. There will be ex-
amples of a variety of rubber mold and other casting
materials to examine and discuss.
Ken Clarke attended the Ontario College of Art in
Toronto and the ECCAD in Vancouver, majoring in
sculpture. He is a free-lance sculptor with extensive
commissions in public spaces. He runs his own studio
“Hungry Thumb Studio” situated at 233 Main Street
in Vancouver.
Class size: 8 -10 students. Cost: $300
including materials.
Schedule: 2 weekends: June 19 and 20, 26 and 27.
Time 10.00am — 12 noon and 1.00pm — 5.00pm

For registration, please contact:
Olga Campbell at
olgac1@telus.net or phone 604 224-6730
http//www.hungrythumbs.com/workshops

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