The Story: "How The Beatles Sculpture Was Made and More"

The  creation of my "Spirit of The Beatles" sculpture is the result of a dedicated growth and development  process which began with my earlier (one of a kind) rendition, a high-relief  wall-hanging sculpture titled, "Beatles Forever". This initial version won the "First Place Award" at Chicago's 27th Annual  Beatles Fan's Celebration in August of 2003. The excitement generated from this event brought with it new inspiration calling me to "go it again", this time creating a full and  complete 3-D version that I've titled, "Spirit of  The Beatles”.

I began by amassing hundreds of Beatles reference photographs from every view and angle. As for the composition pose itself, I chose to reference my favorite classic Beatles photo taken back in July of 1968 while The Beatles were on a short break in the recording of what came to be known as their White Album. This particular photo-composition is to me quite reminiscent of a great American work of art... the awe inspiring granite heads of four American Presidents chiseled into a mountainside in the Black Hills of South Dakota, "The Mount Rushmore Memorial." The greatest creative challenge for me involving my Beatles tribute sculpture project was striving that my art piece depict a special ingredient absent from the Mount Rushmore theme. Since The Beatles were the closest of friends, I am striving to achieve that my art piece possess and reflect the warmth and spirit of this relationship and comradery.

My "Spirit of The Beatles" sculpture was created and fashioned in plastalina modeling clay applied over a wood, metal, and plaster constructed armature. Plastalina is a non-hardening oil-based clay that can't be fired but rather from which a casting must be made. The advantages and attributes offered make it my choice sculpting medium. However, to produce from only a single casting or onto multiple copies of the completed original model, an entirely new procedure must be undertaken which is an art unto itself. This being the process of moldmaking and casting at the foundry. I've chosen to cold-cast in a Classic Tusk Ivory Resin since it works so well with the sculpture's title and aura. Resin is a very strong lightweight state of the art museum standard medium that has the inherent qualities and abilities to appear as marble, porcelain, stone, bronze and more. Simplified, a flexible liquid rubber mold is applied over the original working model to capture every fine detail. This is backed-up by a two or more piece plaster mother-mold for the essential purpose of holding the shape of the rubber mold once the original clay model is removed to begin casting within. While the molds are yet void and open, liquid resin is brushed into and applied to the inside surface of the rubber mold to a thickness of about a quarter inch or 0.635 centimeters. the rubber molds along with their plaster support mothermolds are then re-assembled and strapped together snugly. After curing and hardening, the plaster and rubber molds are removed revealing the one-piece completed casting. The chasing (cleaning up) of any trace mold seams and any other touch-up work is done by the artist as the casting now nears completion. A hand-rubbed patina finish is applied to achieve the finalizing desired effect.

As an artist, I very much also enjoy painting... however, it is my opinion that sculpture is the steeper challenge because I feel it requires more imagination. In sculpture, working from a single photographic reference is insufficient as three dimensional works are enjoyed from all sides and vantage points. Therefore, more resource information and compositional reference data must be absorbed to create and pool from. And... when none is available, the sculptor must "imagine" (as John Lennon said) all of these unavailable views in the mind's eye. It's where creative challenge and artistic license really come into play and exactly just what's so exciting about sculpture to me. I have many times since 1968 thought about creating a Beatles tribute sculpture compositionally inspired by this single reference photo. As life got in the way, getting started on this project took years. It was upon my first learning about George's fast failing health and realizing, what was at that time, the soon coming of The Beatles 40th Anniversary that ultimately drove me to begin. I can honestly say that my dedication to this project has truly been an immensely enjoyable creative exercise and artistic experience. I do hope it brings as much pleasure to Beatles fans the world over as creating it has done for me.

Kris Atkinson