Plaster Bas-reliefs

Casting directly from real objects and materials, I've been revisiting the ancient technique of bas-relief

A few roses

Banquet

 Baroque Cocktail Party

Bas-Relief Collection

The technique of low-relief sculpture goes back to classical times and has been explored by many sculptors in the intervening centuries. As with my Plaster Busts Collection, I’m interested in looking at traditional styles and techniques, some of which have become unfashionable, and re-interpreting them for the 21^st century.

The V&A Sculpture Court holds many examples of low-relief sculpture in which artists cleverly created the illusion of space and perspective through the very shallow depth of their wall friezes.  In my bas-reliefs I’ve created the illusion of reality by an entirely different means i.e. by casting directly from real objects and materials, a technique I’ve developed through all my sculptural plaster work.

For ‘Baroque Cocktail Party’ I first created a set of glasses from paper, card and cut glass beads, referencing the antique glass collection at the V&A. I made a silicone mould of these and from this the final plaster cast.

For ‘Banquet’ I looked at the mesmerising still life paintings of the 17^th and 18^th centuries in which a plethora of objects are piled together in exotic compositions and rendered with extreme realism. The initial sculpture I made comprised an arrangement of made up objects – the fruit bowl was constructed from card and stick-on ‘jewels’- along with real shells, plastic grapes and a silk tassel.

For ‘A few Roses’ my composition was created by casting from vintage ceramic roses in a ‘cut glass’ vase of creased and folded paper.

EXHIBITION NEWS
I'm currently exhibiting my plaster busts at Harewood House, Yorkshire

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