Theatre BC's Annual Provincial Community Theatre Festival
THE THESPIAN
Work of Art
Honours MAINSTAGE Winners
|
The Thespian |
by Ann Gansor & Monica Helin, edit
(from Theatre BC NEWS, Spring 1997 edition)
For sculptor Geert Maas of Kelowna, B.C., good art means there is
"always something new to discover, something to guess about". His bronze
statuette, The Thespian, awarded in 13 categories at TBC's annual provincial
MAINSTAGE Festival, reflects this quality of discovery that is intrinsic to the theatre.
Commissioned to design the award in celebration of TBC's 60th
Anniversary in 1992/93, Maas begins work in December to recreate his dynamic design that
represents the mysticism, balance and tension in a performance and the actors' tenuous
hold over an audience.
 |
Maas
removes the rough, bronze statuette from the mold returned by the foundary |
At first, the statuette appears to be a single person balancing
on one foot; from different angles and in different light, it could be two figures, or
even three. Some see a woman cradling a child; others see one figure peering from behind
another; still others perceive a theatrical embrace.
Maas explains, "The award reflects the combined effort that must
be taken to create a performance, so it is easy to see more than one figure. The actors
are only the visual part of the focus."
Creating one Thespian takes weeks and the efforts of several
people. "Once you know the process of creating one of these, it says a little bit
more."
The first statue is made in clay and put into a mold. The wax positive
that results often has to be remade several times because it breaks or is misshapen. This
step alone can take several days. The seam is cleaned up; then the statue is coated and
filled with a ceramic.
 |
| Using an acetylene torch with sulfar and ammonia
sulfide chemicals, Maas sprays each statuette to create varying tones |
Before casting begins, the wax must be melted off. The artist is
now left with a ceramic shape made up of an inner and an outer layer and a hollow core in
between.
Hot bronze is then poured in and must be left to set for one day before
work resumes. He chooses bronze because it is the best material.
A cooled statue is sanded down from a coarse to a mirror-like finish.
Maas admits, "I spend a lot of time at this stage, but it has to look good".
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| Maas buffs the figure to a soft patina finish |
Each sculpture takes on its own character through the heating and
chemical-spraying process. Sulfur and ammonia sulfide sprays create shades from red to
black.
The statuette is then waxed and buffed to a soft patina finish before
being mounted on a finished, black walnut stand. Maas maintains that the subtle
differences in each statuette are "the beauty of having a piece of art".
Maas believes an award should match the value and expertise of what it
is intended. Over the years, he has observed the stiff competition at MAINSTAGE and
"feels obligated to finish each award" himself to ensure the highest quality,
because the winners are the "best of the best" of B.C.
 |
| Maas buffs the black walnut base to put the finishing
touches on the statuette |
Recipients of The Thespian, which include Kelowna actors
Debbie Helf and Charlie Fleming who won Thespians in 1996 for their supporting
roles in Sam Shepard's A Lie Of The Mind, particularly cherish their statuettes.
For Helf, winning at MAINSTAGE '96 was "a great honour, a once-in-a-lifetime
experience". She describes her Thespian as "an incredible work of art that comes
alive each day in the changing light". It is also particularly meaningful because it
is the work of an artist in the Kelowna community who has been so supportive of the Arts
through the years.
In considering his own work, Maas concedes that people may be
intimidated by the subjects and the rounded shapes. He explains that people want something
obvious "like a painting with trees and a lake."
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| The changing light invites interpretation of the
finished Thespian in Maas' hands |
Those who have seen Maas' sculptures or his public art - The
Thespian; the award medal for the Okanagan Wine Festival; the Freedom statue
outside the courthouse buildings on Vancouver's Robson Street, and his stainless steel Circle
of Friendship between City Hall and Kasugai Gardens in Kelowna - observe how the depth
and breadth of his sculptures capture the essential qualities and complexities of his
subjects.
For those who would like to explore Maas' vision and learn about the artistic process,
visitors are welcome to his Kelowna home. Overlooking the Okanagan Mountains to the east,
his gallery and sculpture garden, which enable him to show his work as he intended.
Visit Geert's Studio as well as the Sculpture Gardens and Gallery (one of the largest
collections of bronze sculptures in Canada) at:
250 Reynolds Road, Kelowna, BC
For more on the works of Artist, Geert Maas, check out his Sculpture Gardens and
Gallery website at:
www.geertmaas.org
