THIS week we chat with sculptor\/life caster Claire Tennant, whose new purpose-built life-casting studio in Thompson Crescent in Kennington opens on 1 August.<\/p>\n
What initially motivated you to take up sculpture? <\/strong><\/p>\n I’ve always just enjoyed making things with my hands.<\/p>\n It was beyond my control! I’ve been lucky in that I get to make things full time for other people, and now that I’ve moved to Bendigo, more time and head-space to indulge my own creativity!<\/p>\n I’ve always been drawn to things that feel real.<\/p>\n I came into sculpture through a love of materials, process, and the tension between what\u2019s visible and what\u2019s felt.<\/p>\n How would you describe your style? <\/strong><\/p>\n My practice involves the process of life casting.<\/p>\n That is to say I take a mould directly from a real person, in situ.<\/p>\n I would describe the works I make generally as highly detailed, truly unique and a little bit sexy.<\/p>\n Which other sculptors inspire you? <\/strong><\/p>\n There is an impressive collection of living sculptors making really interesting work here in Australia.<\/p>\n For instance, Janet Lawrence.<\/p>\n Her immersive works highlight the fragility of the natural environment.<\/p>\n Jamie North’s cement and plant symbiosis, Louis Pratt’s skewed perspectives, Alex Seton’s impossibly delicate marble carvings, Will Coles’ street-art sculptures, and local sculptor Andre Sardone’s steam-punk masterpieces that marry machine and nature with a whimsical flare all impress me endlessly.<\/p>\n Most impressive to me, however, is my dad Geoff Tennant.<\/p>\n He\u2019s always been interested in the intersection of art and technology.<\/p>\n He 3D models a lot of work on his laptop before 3D printing a basic (or complex) structure, which he then works over with wax by hand.<\/p>\n He\u2019s into all sorts of higher-maths based geometry and he’s pretty decent on the traditional hand sculpting tools too.<\/p>\n What are some highlights you have from your time as a sculptor? <\/strong><\/p>\n I made a life-size figure entirely out of bird seed for an outdoor sculpture exhibition, Hidden 2019.<\/p>\n There was a lot of testing and something like 120 kilograms of seed in the final piece.<\/p>\n The outcome could have gone either way, but it worked!<\/p>\n How can people check out your work online?<\/strong><\/p>\n My websites ClaireTennant.com.au and Castmybody.com.au are being updated as we speak, but there\u2019s a link to my back catalogue of sculpture work on CMB.<\/p>\n Instagram is where I’m most active, both at Castmybody and clairetennantworkshop.<\/p>\n