SEDONA, Ariz. — Sedona sculptor Ken Rowe will build a sculpture from scratch in front of an audience — wire armature to finishing touches, with a live animal model — during First Friday at Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village on Friday, Oct. 2, from 4 to 7 p.m. The free demonstration at Rowe Fine Art Gallery (Suite A102) shows collectors the first hour in the life of a bronze, the stage that happens in a private studio and leaves no trace on the finished metal. Two doors down, Creative Gateways Gallery (Suite B125) hosts a masquerade mask-painting night the same evening.
Rowe, whose wildlife bronzes have anchored the gallery for years, sculpts from life rather than from photographs, working with animals in the care of wildlife rehabilitation centers. “In using live reference, I have had the privilege of working with and handling everything from poodles to grizzly bears,” Rowe said. “Imagine the translation from petting these creatures, feeling the muscles, while having the opportunity to sculpt them. I feel an obligation, out of respect and reverence for these animals, to do them justice in my sculptures.” On Oct. 2 he will build the armature on the spot and work in plastilina, the oil-based clay that never dries, in front of visitors. The identity of the live model is being kept as a surprise until the night. “Will our model have fur or feathers?” Rowe said before a previous public sculpt. “You’ll have to come see to find out.”
At Creative Gateways Gallery, First Friday is Masquerade Night: visitors can watch, or paint their own mask in bright acrylics for $20 and take it home. The evening previews the gallery’s October masquerade celebration.
Both events are free and open to the public, and the galleries are a short walk apart within the village. The night before, Thursday, Oct. 1, Creative Gateways opens Layered, a solo exhibition by paper-collage artist Lana Nguyen, at its West Sedona Showroom (5–7 p.m.). Details and the story behind Rowe’s process are at SedonaArtGalleries.com.