15 June 2017 – Life-size sculpture of fisherman casting a net appears outside Plymouth church
We are pleased to inform you that the ‘Vision for the Pillars’ has now become a reality. Read the story in the Plymouth Herald newspaper
Thanks to the Plymouth Herald for the photos above.
Invitation to the Service of Dedication
Remember that everyone is invited to join us for the Service of Dedication, conducted by the Bishop of Plymouth in the presence of the Lord Mayor.
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HOW ‘ANDREW THE FISHERMAN’ WAS CREATED
The photos below show the development stages of the sculpture; the ‘stick figure’ armature; the clay model; the silicone rubber mould; the cast and patination.
Click on a photo to enlarge it.
28 March 2017
Rodney constructs the armature (above), the ‘skeleton’ on which the heavy clay is pressed (below) and the finished shape of St Andrew will be built up.
1 April 2017
6 April 2017
The photos below show the progress made.
To stop the clay drying out, ‘Andrew’ has to be covered.
As Rodney points out about the photo (left), “the somewhat spectral figure of Andrew wrapped up for the night!”
8 April 2017
With the loin cloth now in place, the clay model is almost ready for the next stage of production.
13 April 2017
The clay figure of Andrew is now ready to be covered in rubber, which is the first stage of creating the mould. The photos show Rodney first mixing the rubber solution, then applying the rubber onto the clay figure until every part is covered.
19 April 2017 – An update from Rodney
“I attach the latest pictures (see below), starting with Andrew’s halo! This was formed using plastic sheet with prefabricated locating holes, prior to coating with rubber on both sides so that the mould can be fitted together. This in fact will not happen with the resin casting, but it is essential for a wax figure for a foundry, where the wax is swilled round the entire mould. It is still important for the resin cast, however, since it facilitates the separation of the rubber parts, and ties them into the support mould for casting.”
“The other pictures show the “halo” covered in a preliminary coat of rubber, and the figure and seam now the rubber coats have been completed. The narrow ribs that you see (such as that down the centre of the head) are to separate the different sections of the support mould. I strengthened the wooden strut on Andrew’s left side, since he is now becoming exceedingly overweight! (Something like 175kg of clay plus nearly 60kg of silicone rubber). Tomorrow I start on the support mould.”
23 April 2017
“The support mould is now completed, and here are some photos of me putting fibreglass on the rubber, and of the completed mould … “
“… and the pictures below show Andrew lying in a crumpled heap on the floor, awaiting the moment of resurgens alongside his chrysalis. Quite a meaningful image, in view of the site where he will reside.” (see Resurgam)
29 April 2017
“Here are another couple of photos to bring you up to date. The first (left) is of half of the silicone mould, unsupported, and the second (right) is of both halves held within the support moulds. Tomorrow I will start on the bronze coat.”
1st May 2017
5th May 2017
Andrew is now cast and de-moulded.
The first two pictures show the mould filled as far as the arms, at which point I had to turn it in order to fill them. The second picture shows the different layers quite clearly, brushed out onto the rubber that is waiting to be filled. The light brown represents two coats of bronze, the dark brown is the lightweight backing coat, and the remainder is the fibreglass.
The next picture shows the cast removed from the mould, with the fibreglass seam etc. still attached; the following one shows the complete back of the figure and the last picture shows me cutting the seam off the front of the figure with a grinder.
11th May 2017
Photo 1 
The sections of the back of the figure which I had to cut up because of the distortion that always takes place when resin cures. The front of the figure has been left intact, and the sections will be refitted to match.
Photo 2 
A section through a cut arm. This shows the layers of bronze, lightweight filler and fibreglass. The bronze layer is approx 1/4 inch thick, which is probably slightly more than it would be in bronze. As far as weathering is concerned, it should therefore last as long.
Photo 3 This is the filled mould for the base, made from melamine.
A picture of Graham Findlay, who is an accomplished sculptor in steel and other metals, who will be fabricating the net with me and doing all the welding and specialised steel work. Here he is cutting one of the internal “shoulder blades” of the internal stainless steel structure of the figure.
Photos 5 to 8 These photos below show the steel reinforcement for the legs and feet; the reinforcement placed in the figure; then ‘fibre-glassed’ in; and finally, the steel in the left arm and across the shoulder.
Photos 9 to 12 These photos below show the steel in the left arm and across the shoulder from a different angle; the steel in the arm fibre-glassed in; the inside of the mould, that was cut into sections, re-joined with resin paste; and the joins re-enforced with more fibre-glass.
12th May 2017
Today Andrew is now in one piece again, and this picture shows Rodney burnishing the bronze from which the surface resin has been removed with acetone.
13th May 2017
Another major milestone – Andrew is now completely finished apart from the patination and polishing which I will do after completion of the net.
19th May 2017
- The welding of the tube “rope.”
- The welding of the woven stainless steel mesh to the tube.
- Death by a thousand welds! Graham clasping his head in anguish after he finished welding the strands of mesh – one every half inch – around the long perimeter of the net. I am very fortunate to have had the benefit of his skill and expertise during its fabrication, since not only is he an expert welder but a very accomplished sculptor in his own right. (His work in a variety of metals can be seen at www.grahamfindlay.co.uk )
12th June 2017
14 June 2017 – ‘Andrew the Fisherman’ is on its way to Plymouth
‘Andrew the Fisherman’ is on its way to Plymouth from the artist’s studio in Much Hadham. The photos below show the completed statue and net, before being carefully loaded onto Artful Logistics’ lorry; the departure of the lorry; and the pillars that await Plymouth’s newest Public Work of Art. ‘Andrew the Fisherman’ will be placed on the pillars on 15 June 2017.
Safe journey, Andrew!
