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In the hands of Kathleen Wilkins, lumps of clay gradually take on a human likeness. Her portrait busts are built from a core outward, and Kathleen speaks of the process as a kind of architecture. The shape of the head, the ears, the brow line, the jaw line, the angle of orientation of the face and the neck, drawn from the subject, must be reproduced before she even begins to work on the subtleties of expression. In approaching the typical subject, Kathleen takes a careful study with photographs, full face, profile, angles, the back of the head. Then she often does sketches to master the relationships of the features which identify the subject as that person and no other. Once she begins to work in clay, she consults with the people whose personal vision of the subject she needs to replicate. A smile can subltly alter every dimension of the face. Once the piece has the approval of the person who commissioned it, the work reaches a stage which is technically more precarious. Kathleen cuts the bust in half and hollows it to the desired thickness for the kiln. Once it is cut, the bust is left to dry for three or four weeks. If there is any excess moisture left in it, it will not survive the firing process. Rarely, she has one explode. Sometimes, one may crack. It is a painstaking business, and sometimes the only thing she can do is begin again. Kathleen has sculpted posthumous portraits for people who have lost a loved one. This particular kind of portrait requires as many useful photos as can be found and a good deal of consultation with the person . A native of Michigan, Kathleen earned her B.A. in Studio Art at the University of California at Santa Barbara. More recently, she returned to school for more training in illustration, training which has proved particularly useful in developing her technique in capturing faces. Though Kathleen has worked in sculpture for eighteen years, she began her work in portrait busts only about four years ago. She also does portrait work in small figures. A jester or a dancer or a cowboy may be commissioned to portray the face of a child or a loved one. Though the idea of portrait busts has been a popular one since the time of the Greeks, only the very wealthy or very famous were normally represented in that way. Kathleen's work in terra cotta, porcelain, and stoneware offers the opportunity to obtain a priceless family treasure for quite a modest fee. |
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