Masonry Magazine May 1981 Page. 6
BRICK SCULPTURE
continued from page 5
southeast Nebraska.
The brick chosen for the Hamilton Lakes project is an iron spot type made from clay with traces of iron ore. Depending upon the angle of light striking it, the brick sometimes has a rosy cast while at other moments it appears to have a bluish cast.
Endicott Clay Creates A Changing Mood
"This clay is some of the world's best for sculpturing," said Ms. Smith. "Its color seems almost alive. The result is an interplay, a sort of changing mood, which really enhances the sculpture."
The hills surrounding Endicott are thick with clay, and iron spot is easy to find. There is evidence in the area that ancient Indian tribes used the clay in their pottery making. This fascinates Ms. Smith, who is combining her years of study of mythology with modern art into the carving of the murals.
Ms. Smith notes that early day Indians had their own kind of bas-relief sculpture. They are known as petroglyphs and can be found in places in Nebraska, especially among the rock formations along the Missouri River.
"Like the Indian petroglyphs, my work has a great many symbols," she said. "Each panel is a separate story unto itself, with the viewer making his own interpretation according to his own experience."
Briefly, the titles and dimensions of the six Hamilton Lakes murals are:
* Unicorn Hunt. 14x22 ft.
* Peaceable Kingdom, 12x34 ft.
* Thorn Tree, 9x12 ft.
Carving of the unicorn's head was done by Mara Smith with a curved knife. The cutting penetrated a maximum depth of 2% in. to prevent breakage.
Pieces of cut-away brick were removed with the aid of a vacuum cleaner. Other tools of the trade included a broken saw blade for texture and for sculpting fingers and toes; a sculptor's wooden tool for fine detail; an ice pick for sketching, and a roofing hammer for three-dimensional work.
A brick mason gently taps a pre-carved brick into place in the assembly of "Peaceable Kingdom," a 12 x 34 ft. mural that flanks the left entrance to the 420-room Hamilton. The brick assembly took approximately one week. Each brick was individually numbered on the back side to facilitate putting together this 1,000-piece puzzle.
6 MASONRY/MAY, 1981