After twenty years in the software and engineering field, I decided to follow a dream and become a sculptor. I realized I had a love for working with my hands. My creative woodworking passion drew me towards woodcarving but soon realized that the physical carving aspect was just a fraction of the skills necessary to produce true representational sculpture.
With material now being a secondary concern, I decided to focus on skills required to create sculptural works by attending the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts in Old Lyme, CT, where I received my BFA in figurative sculpture. I also spent three summers learning traditional European woodcarving in Austria.
My sculptural emphasis has been within the traditional human figure, but I find myself drawn into the animal world ... perhaps both can co-exist within my work.
As an emerging artist, I am pursuing my sculpture subject matter in multiple directions. My engineering, carving, and sculptural skills have merged together allowing me to pursue sculpture on a larger scale, in both wood and foam.
Another major direction for my work involves relief sculpture in cast paper. Continuing my love of the figurative and representational subject matter, I find relief sculpture a wonderful combination of drawing and sculpture. Using paper as the foundation of the sculpture, the "drawing" comes to life without the use of a single pencil mark.
In addition to working on my own sculpture, I am employed as a props carpenter where I create props for Goodspeed Musicals (Goodspeed Opera House) in East Haddam, CT. This allows me to combine my engineering, woodworking, welding, and artistic skills to construct unique props for our six musicals we offer yearly in our two theatres.
© 2012 Sculpture Works Studio - Lou Fuchs