David Varnau
Have you found yourself marveling at the gorgeousness of a complete stranger’s mouth or, perhaps, a couple’s stance as they stood talking? To me, those are transcendent moments where that curve of a girl’s lip or the expressiveness of an old man’s hand can create a sense of “ah-ha”; it’s then that the world feels whole and life seems so complete. In my figurative sculptures, I endeavor to render the planes and contours of the human figure in a manner that evokes in you a similar visceral tug, permitting you to savor those eye-popping, synapse-charged moments that are otherwise only occasional and fleeting.
Because I sculpt the entire sculpture in clay with a live model before me, I am able to capture the unique features of each model and a sense of their soul, their truth. Since each piece in my body of work has been sculpted of a different person, you will notice that I have been able to create a portfolio with a great variety of poses and subjects. Some seem lyrical and light hearted, some are grief struck and still others are uplifting, even stirring. But all speak to the human condition and the spectrum of our experience through the compelling beauty and the singular expressiveness of the human body.
David Varnau