Contact:Gretchen Miller Basso
Public Relations Director
The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra
Phone: 407/896-6700 x 223
Fax: 407/896-5512
gmiller@orlandophil.org
www.orlandophil.org
(Orlando, FL – June 27, 2011) – The Orlando Philharmonic is proud to announce that a marble bust of Music Director Christopher Wilkins will appear in the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens’ upcoming show: Figure and Form: A Showcase of Florida Sculptors. The bust was created by local artist Peter Forster, who recently created a portrait of Wilkins, a work commissioned by Philharmonic supporters John and Jennifer Casebier, and given to the Philharmonic.
The show takes place from July 19, 2011 through September 18, 2011. This exhibition is also being held to commemorate the Museum’s 50th anniversary year and in honor of the legacy of the internationally renowned sculptor Albin Polasek. This is the first juried sculpture exhibition showcasing high-quality works by Florida sculptors to be shown at the Polasek Museum in support of its mission to promote representational art. A juried selection committee chose twenty works by seventeen artists to be featured in Figure and Form.
“Producing the marble bust of Christopher Wilkins was a lengthy process,” says Forster. “First, I produced a plaster cast of Christopher’s face, and then I modeled a likeness in clay using the plaster cast to understand his features. After the clay was produced, I made a plaster copy of the clay. I used the plaster bust along with the plaster mask to sculpt a portrait in marble.”
Forster continues, “Chris, being the good sport that he is, volunteered to have a plaster mask made. Having only an hour, I rushed to produce the mask, as Chris had to rush off for a TV interview afterword. This is quite a messy process, and I had a lot to do in just one hour.
I draped Chris in a plastic garbage bag, and put a bald cap on top of his head. I hurriedly threw the mold material on his face right after he asked the question, ‘have you ever done this before?’ Quieting Chris with this gelatinous material, I responded ‘never.’”
Forster concludes, “Working in clay is really modeling. Sculpting means to cut or carve, in the now forgotten traditional approach.”
Maestro Wilkins describes the experience of being captured both on canvas and in bust-form. “Visits with Peter Forster are wonderfully enriching,” he said. “I learn all kinds of things by looking at the world through Pete’s eyes, or trying to. I find his skills of perception and draftsmanship simply dazzling. He’s opened a new world to me, and inspired me greatly.”
Wilkins continues, “The very first time I sat for Pete, he placed a mirror next to his easel so that I could watch him paint, something few artists seem willing to do, especially portrait artists. We were having a lively discussion about something or other – he was holding up his end just fine – and after a few moments I looked back at the reflection of the canvas. I was shocked. Staring right back at me was my own likeness. It couldn’t have taken him more than a few minutes to capture my essential features perfectly.
“That oil portrait was a commission from our long-term generous board member, John Casebier and his wife, Jennifer. The marble bust was Pete’s idea. He seemed drawn to return to marble after many years. Peter is a polyglot, artistically speaking. I don’t know how many sculptors work in marble any more, but it’s very few.
“The process was fascinating at each stage. We got to know each other rather well as the first step. Pete came to many rehearsals and performances; we had several meals together; I visited him in his home and his studio many times. The results – as opposed to the creative process – are a different experience for me, especially the bust.
“According to my New England Puritanical upbringing, ‘images of self’ are often the cause of discomfort or embarrassment. I suppose many people are that way, not wanting to be photographed, or watch a video of themselves. I know many musicians can’t stand to hear their own recordings because they only hear mistakes and problems, real or imagined.”
Wilkins concludes, “The marble presents additional issues, some of which I enjoy, some of which I am still coming to terms with. What I love is that the piece has a different expression from every angle. The variations in the character of the sculpture are nearly infinite, depending on where you stand and the quality of the light. In this sense, it is live art. I am stunned by the expressive power of the medium. On the other hand, the medium itself is stone-cold, stone-white. It strikes me as ghost-like. I think I’m dead. It was quite disconcerting at first, now I have a morbid fascination with this effect and find myself quite captivated by marble’s allure.”
The Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens is located at 633 Osceola Avenue, Winter Park, FL 32789, and is open Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and Sunday 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Admission fees are charged as follows: adults (18-59) $5, seniors (60+) $4, students (age 12 through college) $3, with members and children age 12 and under free. For more information on Figure and Form, A Showcase of Florida Sculptors, phone 407-647-6294 or visit the website at www.polasek.org.
About the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens:
Founded in 1961, the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens holds an art collection focusing primarily on American representational sculpture, with over 200 works by Czech-born American sculptor Albin Polasek. The museum also offers guided tours of the historic Polasek residence and chapel, an outdoor sculpture garden and a gift shop. The museum is the retirement home of 2004 Florida Artists Hall of Fame recipient Albin Polasek, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of only 32 members of the National Trust’s Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios.
About the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra:
The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra is Central Florida’s resident professional orchestra, appearing in more than 125 performances each season. The Philharmonic’s mission is to foster and promote symphonic music through excellence in performance, education and cultural leadership. The Orlando Philharmonic proudly enters its 19th anniversary in the 2011-2012 season, led by Christopher Wilkins in his sixth season as Music Director.
