CLAY FIGURE MODELING with Brian Booth Craig

In this all-inclusive workshop, students will work directly from a live model to create a 61 cm (24 inch) tall figure in water based clay over an aluminum wire armature. Students will learn how to create an accurate reproduction of the model's proportions using calipers, while also emphasizing composition, gesture and the study of form through observation. Brian will create a sculpture alongside the students to demonstrate principles and techniques, while also providing individual instruction tailored to each student's level of experience. Techniques for building and finishing forms will be demonstrated. Brian will also give a lecture on the history of figure sculpture methodologies within the context of his approach sculpting. At the end of the course students will have the option of having their piece molded and cast for shipping home.

Artist Bio:

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is a contemporary sculptor who specializes in bronze. Sculpting from life, his work translates the human form into contemporary icons. His figures are imbued with a sense of agency. Mixing 21st century gestures with surprising talismans, his statues are very much of our time, despite the medium’s antecedents. Verist in nature, Craig’s figures capture moments of individual self-assertion. Brian holds a B.A. from Pennsylvania State University (1993) as well as an M.F.A. from the New York Academy of Art (2013) and is an Honorary Member of the International Sculpture Center (2013). 

A former apprentice and assistant to the painter and sculptor Audrey Flack, Brian also has extensive teaching experience, first as a professor of sculpture at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts (2004-2015) and at art studios throughout the world. He has been running and teaching art workshops in Italy for eight years. His work has been exhibited extensively in the United States and Internationally. Brian is represented by Louis K Meisel Gallery in New York City.

Materials and tools:

Armatures and clay will be provided. Students may bring their own sculpture tools, but there will be an opportunity to purchase hand made tools for the course. Each student should also bring a spray bottle, a cotton cloth and plastic bag for covering their piece at the end of each day.

ACCOMMODATION

You will be staying at Baglio Custera, a boutique hotel in the heart of Marsala’s countryside. Known for its gardens and luxurious swimming pool, this modern resort stands on the Rakalia hill, the site of an ancient shrine to Hercules, surrounded by olive and orange groves. Baglio Custera is a brand new hotel built on ancient lines, those of the "baglio," or farmhouse.

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From start to finish you will enjoy the extraordinary cuisine of the region influenced by the unique flavors of the Mediterranean including garden-fresh vegetables, ancient grains, and seafood. All meals, accommodation, and daily ground transport are Included in your package, including a celebratory welcome dinner with Mario.