Dawn & Dusk are finally coming together nicely.

After some experimenting I decided that Dawn has to have a circle that gets attached to the panel instead of trying to sculpt it completely attached.
I am still undecided on what the circle will look like.

It is time to start playing with the drapery now that I have the torso and head in the right position/depth.

I’ve been talking with Gig Harbor Life, The Gateway, and the Tacoma News Tribune about my award.  It is important for people to know that good sculpture is still happening!
Keep your eyes open this week!

I’m in the Tacoma Arts – The News Tribune Blog

http://blog.thenewstribune.com/arts

International 2009 -2010 Art Renewal Center Salon Competition

Finalist in Sculpture: “Truth Beloved”

http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/contest.php?contest=2009-2010%20Salon&page=Sculpture

The Art Renewal Center® is proud to present the award winners and finalists in our sixth International ARC Salon™ Competition.
This year we had well over 1700 entries with outstanding results.

Mardie Rees was selected as one of the finalists in the 2010 International Portrait Competition hosted by the Portrait Society of America, taking place in Washington D.C. Over the last twelve years this competition has grown to become one of most prestigious events in the field of portraiture today. Over 1,300 images were entered in this year’s competition, and only 16 artists were selected as finalists. Her portrait bust, Truth Beloved, was judged on skill and technique, as well as, aesthetic and emotional content.

Mardie Rees, along with her husband, Jeremy and sixth-month-old baby, Jasmine flew to D.C. to attend the 2010 Art of the Portrait Conference and the Award Ceremony Banquet for final judging. Her sculpture was on view at the Hyatt Regency Hotel over a four day period, allowing the judges and attendees of the conference to view the work. Rees’ work was the only 3-D sculpture out of the 16 finalists (the rest were paintings) and all the pieces were beautiful and well executed. Mardie Rees was awarded “First Honor”, at the banquet on April 24th. Rees says it was a great honor and privilege to be recognized along with the nation’s leading portrait and figurative artists.

Finalists

Harry Ahn, Ryan Brown, Scott Burdick, Ellen Cooper, Michelle Dunaway, Adrian Gottlieb, Nancy Guzik, David Kassan, Michael Klein, Jeremy Lipking, Tim Norman, Galina Perova, MARDIE REES, Kate Sammons, Jennifer Welty and Lea Wight.

Certificate of Excellence
William Bartlett, Suchitra Bhosle, Adra Brown, Casey Childs, Stephen Early, Glenn Harrington, Jinchul Kim, Fongwei Liu, Alicia Ponzio, Aapo Pukk, Robert Semans, Alexey Steele, James Tennison, Hsin-Yao Tseng and Henry Wingate.

My husband, Jeremy Broderick with our baby girl wearing her black dress.

Mardie Rees shaking hands with well known artist, Burton Silverman

Dear Friends,

April is going to be a busy and exciting month!

I was selected as one of the finalists in the 2010 International Portrait Competition hosted by the Portrait Society of America, taking place in Washington D.C., April 22 – 25th. Over the last twelve years this competition has grown to become one of the most prestigious events in the field of portraiture today. Over 1,300 images were entered, and only 16 artists were selected as finalists. My portrait bust, Truth Beloved, was judged on skill and technique, as well as aesthetic and emotional content.

I, along with my husband and sixth-month-old Jasmine, will be flying to D.C. so I can attend the 2010 Art of the Portrait Conference as well as attend the Award Ceremony Banquet for final judging. My sculpture will be on view at the Hyatt Regency Reston in VA during those four days.

I am very excited about this opportunity and the chance to meet internationally known artists in the field of portraiture. If you are in the D.C. area and would like to see the show or want to attend the award banquet please let me know and I would love to see you!

All the Best,

Mardie Rees

P.S. See some of my work in an upcoming group show in Seattle! (Details Below)

“Jasmine I – Crying”
“Jasmine II – Looking”
“Jasmine III – Sleeping”

By Mardie Rees
12.75” x 5” x 5”
Bronze

The RISE Exhibition
fine art exhibit with a mission
April 19th – May 20th, 2010

RISE showcases more than 100 original Contemporary Artworks from 26 EDGE Program Graduates from Artist Trust. Artists working in Photography, Painting, Sculpture, Encaustic, Bronze, Glass and Mixed Media. RISE is Artist conceived, designed and executed and benefits the Rise n’ Shine Foundation which offers support programs for children and teens affected by HIV/AIDS.

Details:http://mardierees.com/shows.php

I took some pictures of the three portraits finished in clay right before I went ahead and molded them.
The pieces were finished in bronze this week and were the last to be cast by the Bronze Works Foundry (I am very sad they are closing).

I am nearing completion of all three portraits of my daughter, Jasmine, while she is still little!!
It is a race against GROWING TIME because they grow so fast in a few short weeks. I am glad I got her measurements at 4 weeks since her face has changed a lot since I started.

I’ve been sculpting my daughter since she was 4 weeks old (now she is 8 weeks!!) and there comes a time where you just have to hold her if you want to keep sculpting and sooth her!

It is nice to get a good upclose look at her closed eyes. It is amazing how quickly she can fall asleep in my arms

Three views

I now have all three infant expressions: Sleeping, Crying, Looking

I thought it would be nice to have some pictures of all three portraits together. Being goal oriented I thought I’d use these pictures to apply for a show even though I am not finished (I haven’t heard yet if I got in).  It is always good to have a reason and a deadline to finish a piece and hopefully it is close enough the juror gets the idea of where things are going… 

Here are all three portraits at this point. One of the sleeping portraits is going to change to a different expression but I’m not sure what yet.

Sleeping portrait views

THE PATINA:

Below are a few pictures of the Oehmcke Commission – “Candice & Jackie” getting a traditional patina (consisting of blacks & browns). A patina takes the bronze piece which is a gold color, and changes the color by use of chemicals that are applied when the piece is cold or hot. If the piece does not get a patina it will change colors by exposure to the outdoors and air similar to copper. For “hot patinas”, a propane torch is used to heat the metal surface to the appropriate temperature to achieve the desired effect. Different chemicals (e.g. nitrates of copper, silver, iron, etc.) and application techniques (e.g. brushing, squirting, spraying, etc.) can be used to achieve a broad range of colors and effects.

The sculpture is hosed down with water and then the Liver Sulfur (base patina) is sprayed on which makes it a dark black and seeps into the crevices.

Here the piece is rubbed down with a scotchbrite pad so the original light bronze color is seen and the Liver remains for contrast. The piece begins to dry and is ready for the torch!

The sculpture is getting spun on a sculpture stand as Mike, at the Bronze Works Foundry, takes a torch working on heat consistency throughout the whole piece (220 degrees).

Once it has reached the right temperature the piece is sprayed with Ferric Nitrate and then once the desired color is reached a wax is applied to the surface while it is hot.

Once the piece is cooled a harder wax is applied and buffed.

Finished!!