My studio: making concrete figurines

My studio...............


My studio is a large first floor room in my house. It's a great space to work in as there's so much light but it seems to get smaller and smaller - every time I cast something I have to find somewhere to put it. This is one reason why when I am developing new work I am very ruthless about chucking out anything which doesn't look at least 80% promising.
I think artists have quite an intense relationship with their studios - the space evolves around them and is totally personal to them. I realize that if we ever think about moving house I get a panicky feeling about leaving my studio! I think other artists would agree with me that it takes quite a time to bond with your working space and to feel relaxed about making work there. You can't just up sticks and plonk yourself down in a new environment and expect to carry on seamlessly with your work.
I've been photographing other artists' studios for my blog, (go to BLOG CATEGORIES at the side of the page) I find them fascinating and it's interesting to discover what these artists feel about the space where they work.








Making concrete figurines



The images below show some of the stages involved in making my figurines.
I collect vintage porcelain & plaster figurines, take moulds from them and re-cast them roughly in black concrete. The Figurine Collection is on my website - link at end of this post

below: taking a mould from the original which involves masking off one half of the figure at a time and pouring silicone rubber over to take a negative impression




covering with silicone rubber






below: silicone moulds with plaster jackets are then filled with concrete




below: taking the moulds apart when the concrete is set.



below: I make two-part moulds of the original figurine which gives a seam line all around the final cast. The concrete seeps through this seam (flashing)and I break it off roughly. I purposefully keep this mould line evident because I'm interested in the idea of applying industrial methods and materials to an object originally so delicate and finely sculpted.
Rodin meets Le Corbusier !








I was working late in my studio one night and glanced over at a shelf of finished figurines - they had a surreal presence in the lamplight, like a cast of characters waiting for the first act!



link to
Concrete Figurines on my website

Related post: Making Plaster Busts