Photos - Process
After doing extensive historical research on Father Pandosy (including his mode of dress), the artist, Crystal Przybille, cuts the pattern of a traditional priest's garment out of black wool. Kay Przybille donated her time and skill in the sewing of the garment.
Hundreds of photos are made by the artist of the model (Hans Weemering) in different gestures and locations (this one's on top of Knox Mountain) trying to create images that capture a feeling of the artist's vision.
A long-awaited, windy day.
Digitally working the photographs, Przybille arranges some of the necessary reference material to create the maquette.
The maquette armature is created, and then covered with clay to initiate the sculpture gesture.
Many hours of work is put in to create the 16" clay maquette. The artist works from reference photographs, historical text, drawings, mathematical calculations, and a live model to create the maquette.
After further research on Okanagan First People's culture (Syilx) the maquette is taken further with the pictorial/sculptural frieze. On the frieze are the Syilx Four Food Chiefs: Black Bear, Salmon, Bitter Root and Saskatoon, as well as Coyote (Sen'Klip). These represent spiritual aspects of local First Nation culture, as well as representing (in the case of the food chiefs) traditional food sources. Sen'Klip represents the spiritual teacher of the Syilx. These images provide Syilx balance and perspective in regards to the European cultural elements represented in the commemorative work. The wind-blown composition also symbolizes the cultural turbulence that occurred with settlement.
The final maquette cast in bronze.
Przybille working on refining the life-sized armature in Rotary Centre for the Arts, Alternator Gallery Studio 111
Przybille in the studio with the clay original (work-in-progress).
