Creating a Model

First things first I had to come up with a clay model to go off of while we sculpt into the Limestone.  I really struggled with this.  The first little model I had done for the Sculptor from Italy had gone so smoothly.  He had referred to it as beginners luck!  I think he was right.  I just needed and wanted it to be perfect.  It had to be perfect! I had to have something that not only looked like Grandma, but it had to capture her essence as well.  It had to sparkle like she did.  I also wanted it to not only be her likeness but artistic as well.

Dilemma #1- To smile or not to smile.  Jason, the Sculptor, and my painting teacher from Provo, Jon McNaughton, had told me that if Grandma had a large smile she would look too cheesy.  The sculpture will look like she's posing for a photograph and it won't FEEL natural.  Problem is that as I tried to tone down Grandma's smile I just could not capture her.  Even if all her features were correct it was void of all her charm.  So I finally settled on the fact that she had to have HER smile.  Grandma was seldom caught with out a smile and the most important thing was to capture Grandma in her true essence.  So I settled on having her in a more natural and artistic pose.

Dilemma #2 - What age should she be?  How do I please everyone?  Some felt she should be young, some middle age and some aging.  I struggled with this the most.  A young Grandma would not be recognized by her Great Grandchildren.  So Middle aged seemed to be the most logical age.  I made a few small models to work on some of Grandma's middle age features and then began the large model....no good....pushed it in and tried again....still just didn't feel right.  I prayed and tried again and again, pushing the clay in and reforming.  After much prayer and trial and error I decided maybe she isn't suppose to be middle age, so I began to study the pictures of her youth, a young wife and mother.  I once again molded the tin foil center to mold the clay around. I began to feel more influence from the spirit than I had previously and as I molded each feature I began to find Grandma and then it hit me.  This is the age her spirit is now!  This is the face that we will all see again someday...and with that thought, I was pretty sure I saw Grandma's eye twinkle.

Lane snapped a pic of me on attempt #1

A small model I did to try and figure out her aging features.

One of many Errors. Wasn't working. Pushed it in and tried again.

          This and the next 2 views is our winner. This model is 30' from the tip of hair to chest.  One inch for every foot.

This last weekend I took the model to Grandpa to get the OK.  IT PASSED!  Grandpa teared up and said looking at her at that age made him want to get down on one knee and propose.  We are SO anxious to get working on this project.  We conquered this obstacle and now on the the next!