Buttercup Studio
Innerleithen
We had a talk and visit from artist and sculptor Angela Hunter. While listening to talk about her studies I couldn't help but relate to a few key factors she spoke of. The first was the age she decided to study at Edinburgh College of Art in 1999 with a B A Hons. She told us how she had took her daughter up to visit the college on an open day and loved it that much later applied herself. Speaking about how age didn't matter when doing the course and if anything it help her be more focused being a mature student did make me feel better about my own age.
Hunter's work is of figurative studies usually using human and animals themes. She now does commission and gallery work and has a vast variety of stuff in her portfolio. Her preferred medium is bronze, making small works in wax and larger pieces in plaster or clay for casting in either bronze or bronze resin.
Some of my favorite works she's done are :
In 2011 she was commissioned by Riverside Inverclyde to create a sculpture which captured the heyday of Gourock as a holiday destination and embarkation point for the Clyde Steamers. For this she created the "Girl on a Suitcase" which depicts a young girl, full of anticipation in readiness to depart on an adventure down the Clyde, "Doon the Watter" sitting on the suitcase with bucket and spade in hand.
The commission she talked about and showed us a more in depth look it was the Turnbull Bull. She completed the large commission for the Turnbull Clan Association in 2009, making a monument to commemorate the event whereby the first 'Turnbull' William de Rule saved King Robert The Bruce from being gored by a wounded bull. For the research she looked at different images of bull fighting and was even given the chance to go and view some of the wild white cattle of Chillingham. This shows you have to study and research every apsect of the brief because if its wrong or a detail is missed then I'm sure someone would have something to say with regards to it. Having a good communication throughtout is very important also. Mood boards and sketches are good ways to show examples of your idea. What one person might think could be very different from what someone else is expecting. Once its cast they is very little room for change or error.
I didn't know or realise the amount of work at goes into casting a sculpture. But I did enjoy seeing the process and then the finished product. Angela presented her work to us using a power point presentation but she also had books and leaflets of her work.
She talked about the long hours and the hope that the final sculpture would fit in situ and be finished in time for the grand reveal.
Penguins
While I did like the idea of making models and doing sculptor I think I'd struggle with the waiting and patience side of things. I think her work is beautiful and I felt her talk was a true reality of how after college you need to adapt to all manner of commissions if you want to be successful. She herself has gained knowledge from taking on commissions she wouldn't normally have an interest in. I do feel her talk gave us all something to consider when thinking about the long term future of our work.
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