On Pointe
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"On Pointe" is modeled from life, with cooperation from a young ballerina, and her mother, in our neighborhood. She was being taught by a friend and formerly a choreographer with the Roanoke (VA) Ballet. Since my wife, Ann, was also a very enthusiastic dancer in her youth (and who learned the "Martha Graham method"), she, and the young ballerina and her mother, all helped me understand a dancer's technique and balance. Quite a learning process for me. Because the ballerina herself was slender, and because the sculpture was relatively small (18" high and 9 lbs, approximately), it was a challenging piece--the forearms were slight and the fingers hardly much thicker than the fine aluminum wire I was using for interior support. The interior support--or armature--was tricky, too. The silver patina--something I've not tried before--with its pattern of coloration, nicely accents the figure, I think. The "mountain-top" effect of the supporting bronze section heightens the feeling of lift and balance, I think, and the polished granite base highlights the patina, and provides stability. The price on this piece is $4000, plus shipping.