Dynamic Portrait Sculpture
Adult Course | Registration opens 2/4/2025 7:00 AM MST
This class delves into the exploration of the age-old practice of portrait artwork. Since the inception of art, humans have been recording those around them in the form of portraitures. This class guides students through the historical journey of this artwork
within a wide range of cultures and eras.
Students will learn how to develop a realistic portrait with the use of measurement and anatomy. The skills acquired in this course will allow students to develop their own stylistic approach to portraiture and join in this time-honored artistic conversation.
Students will learn techniques in using oil-based clay from warming clay, tools, armature making, and creating texture. Students will also learn how to take measurements from the model, anatomy of the cranium, proportions of the portrait, and how to add dynamic elements to the portrait. There will be several PowerPoint presentations using examples of portrait artwork through history that will reinforce the ideas that we discuss in class
Patrick Stephenson
Patrick Stephenson started his figure sculpture journey in 1997 when he enrolled in this first figure sculpture class at the Arts Students League of Denver. This class ignited a passion for the arts, he began to pour through anatomy and sculpture books absorbing as much as possible to improve his craft, including enrolling in a medical dissection course at the University of Colorado in Denver. Early on Patrick sought out the instruction of professional artists such as Blair Buswell, Don Gale, and Bill Starke to learn clay working techniques and soon began creating figure sculptures of his own. Patrick was the youngest exhibitor at the Sculpture in the Park exhibition in Loveland, CO in 1998.
After graduating high school from the Denver School for the Arts he began to work on his first monumental bronze work “IL Compositore”. This work was inspired by the old masterworks of Michelangelo and Bernini and features a meticulously detailed composer at his piano. This work took four years to complete due to its complexity and size.
Upon completing this piece, Patrick attended the Lyme Academy College in of Fine Arts where he earned his bachelor's degree in figure sculpture. At LACFA he diligently studied, drawing, sculpture, and painting as well as frequented the esteemed museums in New York City where he would draw for hours from the famous works of art. For two summers Patrick lived in NYC working for the Company Spaeth Design in Manhattan learning sculpture techniques in foam carving and production. During his time at LAFCA Patrick also interned for artist Gilbert Boro wo