From Inspiration to Bronze: My First Sculpture in Ukraine

When I began my first sculpture, I had no idea how the process would go – and I mean that in terms of what it would include, as well as whether it would be successful. I had recently moved to Ukraine and was studying under the guidance of Professor Serhii Brilov, whose deep expertise and mentorship shaped not only this piece but also my understanding of art itself. What began with a simple instruction – to choose an American fairy tale as inspiration – eventually became a bronze sculpture that feels, to me, like it holds in it both the motion and emotion that I wanted to capture. This sculpture, titled ‘Zaivy Zaets,’ became my entry into the world of sculpture, and it continues to hold a special place in my heart.

The Inspiration

Beginning with my choice of “Brer Rabbit”, a story I remember well from childhood, I took Serhii’s advice to dive into the story and then research the anatomy and movement of my selected character. When I stumbled on this photo, I immediately knew this was my guy. His somewhat lean and wiry form was what I was looking for, but his dramatic look of indignation was what really sealed the deal.

The Plastilina Model

Working in plastilina on a wire armature allowed me to explore the hare’s form in a dynamic way. I focused on capturing movement, adjusting the arms, legs, and ears until they looked good and conveyed the idea of being tossed.

Making a Mold

Serhii showed me how to paint the plastilina model in silicone, (as the video shows, creating art is not always glamorous). With the silicone mold complete, we then filled it with melted wax to make a wax replica, and sent that replica to the foundry.

At the Foundry in Ukraine

The foundry process is equal parts alchemy and craftsmanship, and the artisans there are very much part of the journey of a sculpture. They dipped the wax replica in plaster to make a mold, then melted out the wax and poured bronze into the rabbit-shaped cavity.

Ukraine has a long history of art, including bronze sculpture, and It was humbling to see my wax replica transformed into bronze by the timeworn tools and heavy machinery of this foundry.

Bare Bronze in the Studio

After making a silicone mold and a wax replica in the studio, we sent the sculpture to the foundry in Kyiv. Serhii had told me that when a sculpture is made in bronze, it takes on a new element of seriousness, and I felt that even as I held the bare bronze, raw and unpolished, before the patina brought it to life.

Final Piece on Display

Here, ‘Zaivy Zaets’ sits on display at the All Ukraine Triennial of Sculpture, a point of tremendous pride for me. To have my work shown in an exhibition in the hall of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, a country whose artists I admire so much, was not where I had imagined this path could go. It was also a moment where I knew that this was a path that I wanted to explore more than ever.