Bronze Sculpture by Linda Serrao -- Contact

In The Studio

My Patio, My Studio

I love being outdoors and am fortunate to be able to work outside most of the time. My patio is my studio. It opens up to my garden, and while I work I enjoy the heady fragrance of the flowers, feel our gentle breezes, and listen to birdsong. I only work in the indoor studio when it is raining. I am a California Girl by birth and by choice!

Working on the Clay for Cherub

Here I am working on the clay model for Cherub. I use water base clay and cover it between sessions with a piece of wet silk and a plastic bag. I use silk rather than cotton because the cotton sometimes gets moldy when it is enclosed for a long time. I prefer the water base clay because of its workability. This type of clay can be delicately manipulated, allowing me to achieve subtle expressions in my sculptures. I strive to bring my subjects alive through portraying their character or mood in each piece.

Working on the Armature

Large sculptures require heavy armature to hold them up. Here I am working on a life size lower torso. The interior armature is aluminum pipe and I use foam to flesh out the shape. If it were solid clay, it would be too heavy and difficult to keep the proper proportions. The armature takes an impossibly long time, but it determines the final outcome more than any other aspect of sculpture except facial expressions. The armature is the skeleton for the human form.

Sylvia, the bubble wrap dragon

Once in a while I do a whimsical project. This is Sylvia, the dragon. She is made entirely of recycled bubble wrap. I feel a strong connection to my works. Each incorporates a personal memory or experience. Sometimes it is hard to let them go.