James Croak
James Croak | |
---|---|
Born | 1951 (age 72–73) |
Nationality | University of Illinois[1] |
Known for | conceptual configuration and sculpture |
James Croak (born 1951) is a visual artist known for his work in conceptual figuration and sculpture.
Early years
James Croak was born in
Professional life
Croak received a
Croak's work was featured in
The transition from aluminum to dirt as a medium gave his work a harder and rougher feel than his prior works.
Dirt sculpture
Croak's dirt sculpture technique goes as follows. First a model is selected and photographed from many different angles. The photograph is then dressed with a grid in order to allow for accurate size referencing.[14] Second, an armature is created from steel and aluminum that is strong enough to support two hundred pounds of clay.[15] Third, the clay is sculpted in the presence of the model over the span of more than one hundred hours in order to replicate the model's body as precisely as possible.[16] Fourth, smaller and more minute details like the face are refined.[17] Fifth, the sculpture is then cut into pieces and a two layer mold (a rubber layer and a plaster layer) is made from those pieces.[18] Sixth, Croak digs up or acquires a large amount of dirt and dries it with the aid of large fans.[19] Seventh, Croak mixes the dirt with a binder, then pours the mixture into the mold.[20] Eighth, once set, the pieces of the sculpture are then reassembled and glued together with the same dirt and binder mixture with which they were created.[21] His dirt sculptures have appeared in over twenty-five published books.[22]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "James Croak interview with Barbara Bloemik, Curatorial Director of the National Design Museum at the Smithsonian". Smithsonian. Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "Dirty Work". The Pitch. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ a b Cumming, Laura (27 March 2011). "Dirt: The Filthy Reality of Everyday Life—Review". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 18 January 2012.
- ^ Edith Newhall (October 29, 2001). "Down to Earth". New York Magazine.
- ^ Vincent Katz (September 1994). "James Croak Stux Gallery". Artnews.
- ^ Leslie Wolf (November 18, 1983). "Review". LA Weekly.
- ^ Catherine Dorsey (December 15, 1998). "The Dirty Business of Art". Port Folio Weekly.
- ^ Croak, James (19 September 2001). "The Dig". Salon.com. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ a b "Biography". Edge.org. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ "A Show of Hands". New York Times. May 1999.
- ^ "Artist Profile". Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ Carlos Suarez de Jesus (January 5, 2006). "The Large and the Small of It". New Times.
- ^ Colin Gardner (November 1983). "Revising the Archetype". Artweek.
- ^ "Dirt Sculpture Process". Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ "Dirt Sculpture Process". Archived from the original on 20 August 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ "Dirt Sculpture Process". Archived from the original on 27 December 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ "Dirt Sculpture Process". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ "Dirt Sculpture Process". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ "Dirt Sculpture Process". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ "Dirt Sculpture Process". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ "Dirt Sculpture Process". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ^ "James Croak". Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2012.