Hello to new and old friends! This new blog, hopefully, will introduce you to what I have been up to recently here at Manzi Studios. Lots to share, and I will be trying to give visitors a 'behind the scenes' look at what goes into the design and creation, not only of the big commissions, but of the small glass figures as well.

     In looking over my current desktop, there are a few images that I would like to share.  As many of you know, I have not curtailed my fascination with sculpture mediums. For any number of reasons, I have always sought out the right material for the job, and have in that pursuit developed a facility in many techniques.  The Goddess Series, so early in my life size endeavors, was created in stoneware, all except for Aphrodite, whose pose made that impossible. My very good friend the sculptor Tom Schottman was kind enough all those years ago to introduce me to the hollow building technique he had learned from the artist Elspeth Woody.  So I have always been able to feel a lineage with both Tom and Elspeth. Here is Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth.....

Hestia was purchased by Ellen Harris of the Ellen Harris Gallery in Provincetown, MA.  When years later Ellen passed away, her son offered to allow me to buy the piece back.  I did.  She is the only piece of mine I have bought back.  Never wanted to let her go!

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! I think that is from the old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon. I was hired by Lake George Steamboat Company to create a life sized Minne Ha Ha statue for the pier at the lake.  Minne was installed in July of 2014, and has become, as the Steamboat personnel call her : "an instant icon".  It was agreed that I would design and create the piece in the style of Forrest Lanfear, the Adirondack sculptor who created several of the pieces installed in and around Lake George.  So-oo-o...I asked my good friends Ron and Tyler Needham to assemble an armature that would LIVE inside the piece which would be created virtually in direct fiberglass. I have to say that the draping of the wet fiberglass fabric was not as horrible as I remembered it, and I actually found it fun.  The clothing looks very good, as you are actually making the garments out of fabric.  Very cool. More pictures of this process are coming.  Here is Minne in place...

More very soon! 

#Lake George Steamboat Company

#Tom Schottman

#Elspeth Woody

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