Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Three Sisters, a Work in Progress 1


DESCRIPTION OF SLIDESHOW
Klick here to view the show:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Marica.Hefti/THREESISTERSAWorkInProgress

Each “panel” measures 6’x 8’ and is composed of about 12 – 16 sub-panels. I sculpt each sub-panel on a slab of about 24”x 24” laid on a 2” thick 24”x 24”piece of styrofoam insulation covered with newsprint. (The idea is that as the clay shrinks the paper will shrink with it, preventing cracks in the clay.) The still wet finished pieces I cut into “manageable” smaller pieces for easier handling and firing.
Each “sub-panel” is subsequently laid out to dry on 6’x 8’ slightly slanted tables and assembled like a puzzle. The photos do show “a work in progress”.

Panel 1: Some of the sub-pieces on the panel are fired and some are still green. The fired ones are darker in color. They lay on the table itself while the green ones are still on the styrofoam squares. The cuts are now very visible because the clay is shrinking.

Once all the pieces are fired the sub-panels will be cemented together with thin-set of the same color and glued on frames of expanded steel. Those will in turn be bolted and/or welded to upright steel frames. The now solid sub-panels will be “free floating” inside their 6’ x 8’ steel frames. There will be “negative” spaces within the panels as well.

Panel 2: Only the most important narrative images have been sculpted and are laid out to dry. More will follow soon


Sunday, February 3, 2008


THREE SISTERS
Bas Relief for Saint Francis Medical Center
by Marica Hefti, Sculptor
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Steel Sculpture by Nicolas Ordahl


Description
A 25'X 8' outdoor terra cotta bas relief by Marica Hefti, combined with a 6 feet tall free standing sculpture and a 9 foot tall tree made of steel whose branches reach across the whole length of the bas relief
Materials: terra cotta (medium-high fired outdoor quality clay), mild steel and LED lights (Light Emitting Diodes)

Concept
…TERRA COTTA RELIEF and FREE STANDING SCULPTURE. Three 8’x 6’ terra cotta panels composed of many individual irregularly shaped panel pieces and one 6 foot tall terra cotta sculpture of Mother Maria Theresia Bonzel.
…STEEL TREE. One 8 – 9 feet tall steel tree with 8’ respectively 14’ long “branches” reaching across and along the tops of the panels. The tree trunk as well as part of the branches is
…LIT FROM WITHIN. The light will shine through the lines of a plasma cut-through depicting Saint Francis with birds.
…MOBILES. Occasional groupings of round copper disks attached to the branches kinetically in the manner of “Mobiles” will dance and shimmer in the wind - reminiscent of aspen leaves.

Vision
The terra cotta bas-relief panels are meant to tell the story of the Sisters responsible for the existence of the Penrose-St. Francis Health Care Centers from founding to the present time.

The tree is symbolic for the spiritual heritage that these Sisters Religious share.

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THE TREE OF SAINT FRANCIS

The light shining through Saint Francis symbolizes the power and the love of our creator. Along the bottom of the tree trunk the light shines through the cut letters of the Saint’s admonition to the birds: GO PRAISE AND LOVE YOUR CREATOR.
The tree limbs manifest the strength of faith.
The dancing copper disks/leaves tell of true joy




"THE THREE SISTERS"


THE SISTERS OF SAINT FRANCIS (First Panel):
A 6’ high terra cotta sculpture of Mother Maria Theresia Bonzel holding a cross in her left hand (as seen on the most popular photograph of her) stands in front of the panel. Along the hem of her gown is her motto: HE LEADS – I FOLLOW. Behind her on the panel is an almost 7’ tall bas-relief of the cross of San Damiano. The Christ crucified is sculpted in relief. The figures of the Saints and Angels surrounding him are etched into the clay in the manner of “graffito”.

Telling the story
The individual panel pieces:
  • The Crucifix of San Damiano is the most beloved crucifix of the followers of Saint Francis.
  • An old Steam Engine in front of Pikes Peak represents the four Sister’s journey to Colorado as well as their helping and healing victims of train accidents.
  • One panel is reserved for the rendering of the first St. Francis Hospital built in 1889. Three Franciscan Sisters standing in front.
  • St. Francis wearing the stigmata fills the panel at the upper right hand corner. The words uttered by the Christ of San Damiano are engraved on the panel’s left: “FRANCIS, REBUILD MY HOUSE”
  • A guardian angel holding a German chapel graces the upper left. It symbolizes the heritage of Mother Maria Theresia.

THE SISTERS OF CHARITY (Second Panel):
A 6’ tall full relief of a Sister of Charity (1950’s) holding a babe in her arms and handing a book to a child signify the Sister’s care for foundlings and Saint Elizabeth Seton as founder of the Parochial School System in America.

Telling the story
  • Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton in profile as patroness to all the Sisters following in her footsteps. The words engraved along the bottom of the panel: I SHALL BE THE MOTHER OF MANY DAUGTERS.
  • The Penrose Hospital building dedicated in 1959
  • A bas relief rendition of the Virgin with Child after a painting in my personal collection. It is an original copy of one of the best loved paintings by Lucas Cranach “the Elder” of “Our Lady of Perpetual Help”. I have included it as my personal devotion and in the knowledge that Saint Elizabeth was also deeply devoted to the Mother of God.
  • A graffito of a Sister of Charity reading to children
  • Another graffito depicting a group of children of different ages and races.



THE SISTERS OF TODAY (Third Panel):
A bareheaded Sister in modern garb – blouse and skirt with cross adorning her blouse – is on one knee holding an injured man. The resemblance to the many “Pieta” sculptures throughout the world is intentional since Christ is in all of us but most of all in the suffering and in those in need.
One knee, leg and head are protruding from the panel. Her right arm as well as the head, shoulder and the arm of the wounded man are also protruding. The rest of him disappears into the panel.


Telling the story
The individual panel pieces:
  • Pikes Peak and the new Saint Francis Health Center building dominate the top panels.
  • A rescue helicopter is coming in for a landing
  • A Sister in contemporary nurses uniform is holding a newborn
  • At the center a sister in modern garb is cradling a wounded man
  • The three remaining Sisters: Sr. Rose Virginia, Sr. Mac and Sister Lou Krippel