Published: Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009
Variety of artists bringing their work to show that benefits CASA
A variety of artists are bringing their work together in one show to raise money for the CASA program
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closeA baker’s dozen of artists are involved with the annual fundraiser for CASA—Court Appointed Special Advocates — at EOC Estate Winery.
Photographers, painters and assemblage artists are showing and selling their work, along with many sculptors.
Gail Lapins of Cambria is offering bronze pieces from her narrative series “Journey,” which consists of androgynous figures, often interacting with a circle to represent the wholeness of life. The point of Lapins’ series is to examine life’s purpose.
Show organizer Persia DuBois knows her purpose: helping others. The fundraising traveling art shows she coordinates are called “Give of Your Soul…without expecting.” The involved artists, who often profess to putting their soul into their work, will donate 20 percent of proceeds to CASA.
DuBois said that sculptor Jack Biesek of San Luis Obispo told her: “All of my work is soul work, as far as I’m concerned.”
Dorothy Boyle doesn’t mention soul when discussing her art, but her heart is definitely involved. Just reading about casting bronze “makes my heart beat faster,” she said.
A lot of hard work is also part of the package, she said.
Her sculptures come straight from the Genesis Bronze fine-foundry in Paso Robles, where she’s half-owner. She loves the strenuous physical work involved in casting bronze, whereas the mental part of shaping her pieces is challenging.
“The tough part is to let your conscious mind sleep and let your subconscious make the decisions,” Boyle said. Once there, the transcendental experience is its own reward.
“You’re not aware of the passing of time,” she said. “You go into a meditative state.” Then the body takes over.
“I’m a very tactile person,” Boyle said. “It’s like my hands are another mind.”
The process is many-faceted: creating the internal skeleton, called the armature; creating the molds with soft plastic or wax; casting in 2,000-degree molten bronze; then adding color to the finished piece.
Applying patinas delights her, and her sculptures look like they’ve had paint applied. She uses chemicals and air brushes or dry brushes to get her effects onto the metal. “You can get just about any color that you want.”
The Templeton resident’s passion for sculpting began in childhood, when she used Play-Doh to give shape to the images she had in mind. Coming up with ideas has never been a problem.
“Ever since I was a youngster I just had these great ideas in my head,” Boyle said, although it took 20 years for her to develop the skills to create works to emulate what she imagined.
“They always call artists visionaries,” she said. “It’s the driving force.”
PHOTOS COURTESY OF PERSIA DUBOIS
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