Number 2

Today I've been placing the right hand of Momo and the left shoe on the older Bill in the 'Monument to Bill Clinton'. I'm sculpting all of the heads, hands and feet of the three statues in fired clay that will complete the Monument. I still must sculpt both feet and shoes of Momo at approximately 15 to 16 yrs. old and young Bill at approximately the age of 12 to 14 yrs. old. I still must sculpt Momo's left hand and both of young Bills hands. I still have much work to do.

I have been talking about sculpting the heads, hands and feet/or shoes of the three figures in this monument to Bill Clinton, so now I'm going to talk a little about the structural frame/armature of the sculpture, the base, and the outer surface that will provide the detail and all that will be visible to the viewer.

The armatures are made up of a series of #3, #4, #5 and #6 steel re-bar which will be similar to our skeletal systems purpose. These armatures are mounted/welded to an 8" wide-flange steel beam base. This base is approximately 4'6" x 4'6" square, and the base alone will weigh approximately 1,800 lbs.

The armatures are then wrapped and fitted or covered with metal-lathing (a wire mesh fabric normally used in stucco work) which I can bend, twist and shape and form in order to obtain the appearance of folds and creases in the slacks and shirts and attire. This mesh then will be covered with a 'compression non-shrink grout' which is a smooth textured, but very hard, when cured, concrete type substance. I will mix small portions at a time and apply it with my hands as though I would smear clay onto the mesh. I will build up this grout to approximately 1 inch thick. At this stage all of the figures will be hollow.

After I shape the outer surface of the figures and the base I will then mix the same grout to a poring consistency and fill all of the figures. This will adhere to the internal walls of the figures and all of the steel re-bar. The complete statue will then need to set and cure for 4 to 6 months before I can seal the concrete and apply the faux bronze painted surface.

Upon completion, I expect the monument to weigh between 6 and 7 thousand lbs. and stand approximately 11 feet tall.

When I finish this monument I have several sculptures in mind just bustin ti get out, and I can't wait.


Finton