Kinnick relief casting....

The casting is moving along well and at this point all of the sections are cast and being welded together. Here are some shots of the process, enjoy, LJN

Casting/cleaning/carving

The big piece is being cast as we speak. It is coming along smoothly and we are looking at another opening day unveiling ceremony and Hawkeye victory. The studio..well it looks like a tornado hit it but we are working on that. I can say that the relief came down a hell-a-va lot faster than it went up! Presently I am working on the Vintners Hall of Fame reliefs for the Culinary Institute of America, I believe that the next induction dinner is March 8, 2008.
Regards, LJN

Busy time in the studio

Its been a busy time here in the studio but I wanted to give you some fun facts. Keith and I completed the "Kinnick" mold (not all of it is shown here!) and these are some stats:
1010 man hours
2500 lbs. plaster
60 gallons of rubber
344' of clay wall
350' conduit pipe
450 sq. yds of burlap
600 latex gloves
460 chip brushes
6 cans spray release
16 - 8oz. jars of vasiline

Researching new job?

Assorted pics

Here are some assorted photos of the dismantling of the mold. After actually taking the mold apart we needed to clean each section out with wooden tools along with mineral spirits. The mold is now safely in the hands of the foundry and in the casting process.Before we took the mold apart we had design a "code" so the foundry could keep the 75 pieces in order.


"Patience serves as a protection against wrongs as clothes do against cold. For if you put on more clothes as the cold increases, it will have no power to hurt you. So in like manner you must grow in patience when you meet with great wrongs, and they will then be powerless to vex your mind." - Leonardo da Vinci

CIA Greystone Napa Valley

Here are some photos from the induction dinner for Robert Mondavi and the other inductees of the new "Vintners Hall of Fame". I created a bas Relief portrait of Mr. Mondavi in time for the ceremony and will start the remaining 8 momentarily. The photos include one with my bother Peter who met me out in Ca. and one with James Cross the graphic designer extraordinaire.

"Paint coat"

When preparing a section of a sculpture for "sand casting" you have to start with a paint coat of plaster to get all of the detail followed by 4 coats of burlap soaked in plaster. Then...you have to take a positive cast out of that mold section using the same technique and thats what the foundry will use.
Keith really didnt pose for this pic, he was actually applying a coat!

LJN Show at the Chaffee Art Center in Rutland, VT

Featured Artist Exhibit Sculptor Lawrence Nowlan February 23-MArch 25, 2007
For more info contact the Chaffee Art Center (802) 775-0356
http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070222/FEATURES17/702220323/1045/FEATURES17



“Art is a lie which makes us realize the truth.” - Pablo Picasso

Mold'n away

A couple more photos, one showing the the use of color to separate the layers of rubber and insure an even coat has been applied. The second of Keith working away. I actually have been helping beleive it or not but its the "grunt" who must take the pictures!

“Art is the expression of the profoundest thoughts in the simplest way.” -Albert Einstein

The "BIG DIG"

We got walloped with 2'+ feet of snow on Wendesday but like they say "No rain, nor sleet....".......Thats Keith getting up close and personal with his work!

“The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.” - Michelangelo

Next step

This is a shot of the rubber and the structure (mother mold) made to back the rubber. The grey strips in the bottom right corner is the clay wall used to separate sections.

“For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through in once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge you’ll never walk alone.”
-Audrey Hepburn

Rubber application

Six layers of rubber must be applied to each "section" of the mold before a plaster "mother mold" can be created on top of it.

A "section" is created by putting up a clay wall on the perimeter of an area of the mold approx.3'x3'. These sections are manageble for one person to work on during the casting process.

A "mother mold" is a plaster backing added to the rubber to insure the rubber keeps its form while casting from it.

“When we are no longer able to change a situation…we are challenged to change ourselves.” - Viktor

Kinnick mold progressing nicely

“A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What a man can be, he must be.” - Abraham Maslow

Vintners Hall of Fame

The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone Announces First Annual Vintners Hall of Fame Dinner
Robert Mondavi to Be Honored as First Pioneer Inductee

ST. HELENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Robert Mondavi will be honored as the first Pioneer to be inducted into the new Vintners Hall of Fame at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone on Friday, March 9 at the first annual induction dinner at the St. Helena campus.

The reception and dinner ceremony will gather the elite of the California and International Wine Industry to honor Mr. Mondavi's pioneering contributions to wine in America. A sculpture in his likeness created by artist Larry Nowlan, of LJN Sculpture in Windsor, Vermont, will be unveiled as the first of many to be on display to the public in the Vintners Hall of Fame room at Greystone.

Robert Mondavi is being recognized as a Pioneer who led the way to be the first in California to produce premium wines which were intended to compete with the premium European brands through innovation and quality.

The award cites the fundamental changes in the industry that are a result of the risks Mr. Mondavi took throughout his life's mission. From the introduction of cold fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the use of French oak barrels, to the collaboration with NASA using aerial imaging to understand the health and vigor of the vines, Mr. Mondavi has been at the forefront of wine education and innovation. He saw winegrowing and wine making as collaboration with nature and the wine as a natural expression of the soil, climate and vine.

Mr. Mondavi has expressed his vision of the pioneer spirit in his own words: "To do whatever it took to make great wines and to put Napa Valley on the map, right alongside the great winemaking centers of Europe."

The celebration at The Culinary Institute of America, Greystone, will include the collaboration of Annie Roberts, Margrit Mondavi's daughter and former Robert Mondavi Winery chef, with the chefs of the Culinary Institute of America as they create some of Robert Mondavi's favorite dishes for the guests.

As a part of the ceremonies, eight additional members of the Vintners Hall of Fame will be announced as a result of the votes by seventy American wine journalists. Six wine industry Founders will be recognized: vintners whose early ventures planted the roots of the present-day California wine industry, and two Icons: whose achievements have contributed to the establishment, nourishment and future of the Californian wine industry.

The Vintners Hall of Fame was created to honor and recognize California's wine industry Pioneers, Founders and Icons. The annual induction dinner will endow new scholarship programs for the campus's Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies.

Tickets are $500 per person and all proceeds will endow a new scholarship program for the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the CIA's Greystone Campus. To reserve tickets and for more information, contact: events@Balzac.com or call 707-255-7667.

Our Town Films, Inc.

 


Our Town Films from NYC was in the studio this week to do some filming for an upcoming documentary on Augustus Saint Gaudens. Paul Sanderson producer/director filmed me working on the Kinnick project, both sculpting and creating the mold. Fittingly Glenn Campbell and Keith MacIntyre from the foundry Campbell Plaster and Iron were here and filmed going to town on the mold. After an on camera interview, Paul took some shots of the work in the studio before heading out. The local premiere of the film will be held at Darthmouth College in July. Some other showings: The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, The Smithsonian, NH PBS, regional PBS and several other museums. Regards, LJN

“The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.” - Wiliam James

Culinary Institute of America

I have been commissioned by the Institute to create the first piece of art for the "Vintners Hall of Fame" which will be created at the Institute. I hesitate to give anymore details at this time though stay tuned!
LJN

You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years of trying to get other people interested in you.
--Dale Carnegie

GO BIRDS!!!!

We interrupt the regularly scheduled sculpture blog to say: GO BIRDS!!!!




 

Mold work!

 
Keith and I busy at work applying rubber to the piece.

Nice Kinnick Relief article

Monday, January 1, 2007
Work on Kinnick relief moving along
Sculpture set to be unveiled in September
By Mike McWilliamsIowa City Press-Citizen

Longtime University of Iowa professor and Hawkeye football fan H.D. Hoover said that if you think the Nile Kinnick statue outside Kinnick Stadium is impressive, you're in for a treat.
Hoover and his wife, Myrene, caught a sneak peek of the Nile Kinnick relief sculpture in late October at sculptor Larry Nowlan's studio in Vermont.
"It's mind boggling," said Hoover, a retired professor in the UI College of Education who lives in Iowa City. "It's actually much more impressive than the Kinnick statue, and I think that's incredible. I think people will be stunned by it really. I've never seen anything like it."
Nowlan started to sculpt a statue and relief of the famed Iowa football legend in January 2005. The 12-foot bronze statue, depicting Kinnick as a student and athlete, was unveiled in September on the Krause Family Plaza outside the Kinnick Stadium south entrance.
Nowlan said work on the relief is moving along with its unveiling at Kinnick Stadium still set for September. When completed, the relief will measure about 20 feet wide and 10 feet tall. Because of its size, the relief is divided into four sections, which will be welded together later, Nowlan said.
"We're making the mold as we speak and once the mold is done, it goes to the foundry for casting," Nowlan said.
The relief is based on photographs taken during an Iowa vs. Notre Dame game in 1939 showing Kinnick just before he crossed the goal line for a touchdown. Iowa beat the undefeated Fighting Irish that day 7-6.
Nowlan said there is not sculpture like it at any stadium in the United States.
"For a sculptor, it's been a dream situation," he said. "For a big sports fan, I couldn't ask for anything more, frankly."
UI alumnus Christopher Whittington also had a chance to see the Kinnick relief earlier this year. Whittington, who is the chief registrar at the non-profit Trust for Museum Exhibitions in Washington, D.C., called the relief "very impressive."
"The scale of this piece will stack up against big important sculptures," Whittington said. "I'm sure that some artists might argue with that fact because it's about football, but the scale and how he's doing it is pretty amazing.
"Even the hardest core football fan, who doesn't care about art, is going to stop and look at this and think it's pretty cool," Whittington said. "That's a real achievement for Larry Nowlan to bring an art object to an audience that wouldn't normally see art."
Kevin Spratt, a UI alumnus and former faculty and staff member, has seen the relief a few times, including once with the Hoovers. Spratt moved in 2004 to Lebanon, N.H., and works as a statistician at Dartmouth College's medical school.
Spratt said he was especially impressed with the detail Nowlan put into the relief.
"If you look close, you can see the stitching on the jersey. It's just phenomenal detail," Spratt said. "The amount of work he went through to make this work is amazing."

Kinnick Mold: Rubber application

Section by section, 5 coats of rubber which will be backed by plaster "mother" molds. 

Mold rubber

This is how the rubber arrives for molding. Keith measures it out 3:2 and mixes and then we apply it small bucket by small bucket..... 

Mold in progress

Keith "Master of plaster" MacIntyre and I started in on the mold for the Kinnick Relief. This is a very important step in the process and could take up to several months. You will be sure to see more photos from this part of the process.
Regards, LJN



"Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter."

~Oscar Wilde

The Iowans visit part II

Jane Meyer, Rod and Blanka Lehnertz from the University of Iowa were in town to see the progress on the relief. I am happy to post that they were thrilled about what they saw. Last weekend I also was visited by another couple from Iowa, HD and Myrene Hoover who also pretty happy to see what what we are putting together for Kinnick stadium.
Regards, LJN

When I have a terrible need of.. shall I say the word.. religion.Then I go out and paint the stars.::: Vincent van Gogh ::: 

Rededication of Kinnick Stadium

To those who couldnt make it....

Kinnck Relief sculpture enlargement

The final piece to the enlargement puzzle is just about complete. Here is a shot from the foundry.
LJN


Derive happiness in oneself from a good day's work, from illuminating the fog that surrounds us.::: Henri Matisse ::: 

The Kinnick relief sculpture

Workin hard on the relief, should be wrapping it up soon and starting the mold. Huge piece, look forward to presenting it to the Hawkeye fans at Kinnick!Regards, LJN

Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many--not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.-- Charles Dickens (1812-1870) English Novelist  

Kinnick Statue Unveiling

1) The Nowlan gals in the Pressbox during the post unveiling reception.
2) The Gang after the game in front of Nile. From left to right: Pete, Loise, Evan, Heather, Me, Henry, Kevin, Jill with Monet napping in the stroller.
3) Nile after the game.



The world is good-natured to people who are good natured.-- William Makepeace Thackeray
 

Peter and I with Head Football Coach Kirk Ferentz at the "I-Club" Breakfast. An event put on at 6am Friday mornings before home games. We were treated like Kings thanks to Rod, Bob and Andy .

Pre-unveiling with Rod Lehnertz , Pam and Terry Trimpe.












Big Nile!.......more pics to follow

Kinnick Unveiling

Well its been a long journy since this picture was taken sometime in January of 05'. That is a brand new armature behind me which eventually would lead to the 16' piece which will be unveiled on Sept. 1st.
Ill see you on the other side!
LJN



The person who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.-- Chinese proverb