Aztec Bird-Fish

Creating The Aztec Bird-Fish

Above:

Title: Aztec Bird-Fish Terry Kreiter, 2010
Dims: 25 x 7 x 5 inches
Medium: Unique cast and fabricated bronze with stone base
Cast by the artist.

Above: Mayan glyph, pour stone, Michael Goard


The spark that inspired me to make this sculpture came from a gift from Michael Gourd; his contemporary version of a Mayan glyph.



Above: Open face epoxy mold with a bronze element.

I made some open faced molds from the glyph surfaces to make wax patterns in order to produce the bronze elements. These surfaces are used in the sculpture composition.

Above: Detail

Above: Drawing from book "The Aztecs: Rise and Fall of an Empire"


My method for creating sculpture is to take advantage of the inspirational spark by immediately recording the essence into my sketchbook, no matter how vague or how absurd; now it can't get away. If you are not careful the idea will leave just like the memory of a dream. I block out a few pages in my sketchbook and spend some time developing the idea by gathering up information from books, internet and conversation. I give little reverence to this information. I just want it to fuel a stream of thought and allow me to develop the ideas subconsciously with no struggle, no censoring.

Above: Working drawings on studio floor.

Above: Detail, Aztec Bird-Fish

Above: Drawing from " The Aztecs: Rise and Fall of an Empire"

Above: Detail, Aztec Bird-Fish

Above: Drawing from "The Aztecs: Rise and Fall of an Empire"

Artist Note: The above drawing turns out to be a kind of coda of the sculpture.

Above: One of the three wax patterns ready for the casting process.

Above: Wax pattern ready for investing and casting.

Terry Kreiter Website