Sturgeon Mama - sculptural form in foam and clay

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(Update Oct.15, 2011: Added more pics and sculpting description)
Most pics click for larger detail.

The #SturgeonMama sculptural model has been created by carving the rough form in a stiff plastic extruded foam, with steel wire brushes. This left a roughened exterior which bonded well with warmed/worked oil-base modeling clay.

It has been built-up and modified considerably as it has resolved into its current incarnation. In the future, this form could be significantly reworked to produce a different form. When I had the foam core at the park, I mused aloud about "carving the guts out of it" and making a hollow sturgeon with detail inside, reminiscent of the Morriseau "X-ray" stylisation. Maybe later.

After a quick reference glance at some sturgeon pics, it became obvious that the tail was all wrong, so I used a serrated putty knife, some foam scraps and a whole lotta hot-glue to correct the tail fins. The rough foam-carving had been done without a reference picture, but fit well to the new fin positions; the plan had always been to mount the dorsal fin after initial carving.

The body is highly stylised; with its "rib segment" look and diamond "scutes" (large scales along the sides and back. The scutes along the body parallel the lateral line of the fish, while the scutes of the back are represented by the rippled line of the profile.

Much of the form's resolution was informed by the conscious shaping of the back end of the body, where it meets the tail and along the belly. It is in this curve that the fish grows heavy with its spawn. The expansion of the belly and increased depth of the body necessitated the movement of the pelvic fins back and lower on the form.





The accompanying video has audio from the fabled "lost episode" of Zzorhn and BingoRage Wandercast. Actually, we had too many beers and had lost most verbal command; so, it's really not lost, just not totally useable. The paper cast of the model will be installed at Spirit Fire Park in the spring. This is a link to the BingoRage posting describing our "Sturgeon Mama" sponsorship project at #SpiritFirePark; please pass along to friends seeking ways to spend lotsa cash.

Miigwetch.
:Eric



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Tags: sturgeon, Sturgeon Mama, sculpture, fish art, clay, Spirit Fire Park, paintball, Canadian blog, First Nation, Native blog,Bingorage, Broken Vulture Art, blog,pics