Head

The head was sculpted out of a solid piece of general purpose buff clay. I had spent weeks beforehand studying skull structure and musculature and was always on the look-out for the features I wanted to include - the face is an amalgam of characteristics from various people I knew.

The faceted base was designed to fit in thematically with that of a much-loved head I bought many years ago in Hillcrest just outside Durban.

I struggled with how to style the eyes and the break-through came one evening when I was home alone - Pam had been working late. I was playing Sibelius' Fifth Symphony and working on the eyes when I decided to use the tip of a Bic pen to create the pupils. The transformation was so sudden that it took my breath away - the head suddenly had life. It was that striking and memorable that I can even recall the music playing at the time.