I just returned from six weeks of portrait and figure sculpture workshops with Martine Vaugel, in the Loire Valley, France. I wanted a solid foundation in portrait and figure sculpting; in emails and over the phone she guaranteed me she could provide that--and she definitely delivered. Most of all, I learned that portrait sculpture is work--and, with her guidance and by watching her, I learned how to work, how to see, how to use the tools, deal with clay, how to notice mistakes, how to understand and correct them. Solid. Of special interest to me was how Martine's method is readily adaptable to doing portraits from photos. Plus, where she lives in France is utterly beautiful, and the other people who attended her workshops were fun to both work and hang out with.
Dennis Leroy Stillwell 2016