Jyl Bonaguro, sculptor and playwright, carves marble, alabaster and limestone by hand and also creates large scale mixed media sculptures of wood and concrete. Often working spontaneously, Jyl Bonaguro has a modern approach to the ancient art of stone carving that diverges from the formal academic approach. Raw stone is revealed in select areas, leaving sections untouched and natural, reminiscent of fragments excavated by archaeologists.
Jyl Bonaguro find similarities working in mediums as divergent as sculpting and playwriting because both mediums are treated as interactive, narrative forms. Sculptures like her marble wings series tells a story through composition of form and style in much the same way a play tells a story through composition of words and style. Both forms require audience participation and interaction to help complete the stories and connect us with each other. jylbonaguro.com #jylbonaguro #sculptor #playwright
Thank you so much! I am making a mold of a very large sculpture to be cast in concrete. Could you connect me with the team you worked with or would you consider providing an over the phone advisory session to get me off in the right direction? Thank you!
It's the unforgiving nature of stone sculpture that amazes and terrifies me. You take a little bit too much off in one place and you've ruined the whole sculpture. Somehow you have to know and experience the body you are sculpting from the inside - the flesh, the blood, the bones, the sinews . . .
This is a beautiful video of a tree having its "second life" as one artist says. Another artist says it is like The Giving Tree from the book of the same name; it is giving its all to the people around it that love it. Another said it is still trying to give us a way to help the climate. The synergy of the artists has created a representation of all that Ragdale represents as well - diversity and energy of many artists working on expressing their creativity so that the world can experience it all. Thank you.
Thank you Louisa, I'm pleased you enjoyed Jyl's further creation of a video about The Diversity of Birds invites viewers to meet the artists and know their intent. We are all grateful for your support of the collaboration between Ragdale with Chicago Sculpture International to make this sculpture possible. Cheers!
I tried to show all the effort, thoughts and process behind the art and I am so glad you appreciate it Louisa. It was a unique experience for all the artists and I hope that the tree continues to give for many, many more years into the future :)
Thank you, Jyl, for sharing your technique. I will now get some engraving points. May the sun shine through your brilliant tribute to Athena for a thousand years.
I sometimes see people sharing images of old statues where the figure appears to be covered in material. People assume this is exceptionally hard but while it’s a lovely effect I always imagine that its actually more forgiving than carving the features that the material is covering. That said, I'm not an expert so there could be something I’m missing. The details in this video suggest that I’m on the right track though. If you messed up those hands, you have potentially ruined the sculpture. If they were covered with material then you might mess up a crease in the fabric but then you could more easily reimagine how the creases in the fabric are falling.
Amazing and incredible work. i want to ask a question and would be grateful if you can answer. i sometimes make medium size concrete sculptures with white cement mixed with masonry or Mortar but the sculptures crack from some points after few days of watering and curring . I would appretiate if you can respond on that :)
Why does it have the face of an ape? Is that too symbolize some regression of man or something? Athena is a Greek goddess not an Asian one. So why make her everything but Greek?
Hey look, that's the way the ancient Greeks did it. Except they used wax not rubber. Nope, not at all how the Greeks did it. They covered a body with wax then cut it away. Then filled the mold with marble dust which gets harder and harder
When he mentions sculptures made by ‘robots’, does he mean carvers using power tools instead of manual chisels ? It would have been great seeing these robots sculpting the marble he was talking about.
Oh my, I'm speechless. So very happy for you to be able to accomplish such amazing work. Your blood is now literally in your work. It is forever. Thank you for sharing your experience. I am so thrilled to have, just by chance, run across the video. Thanks again Jyl and many triumphs in the future. Fondly, Nancy and Ron Bonaguro
Thank you so much for your kind words Nancy. The videos take a long time but I do hope they reveal my passion and process.... una goccia de sangue It runs through my work. Best wishes
Truly an amazing and beautiful place. I've always had a fascination for stone and I am in awe as to what an artist can do with it. I have only met one sculptor (in southern Indiana), he made his work look so easy. The stone so smooth. The huge rock turned into beauty. Yes, I can feel your wanting to sculpt. Thank you for an exceptional film. Good luck in your future endeavors. NB Corydon, IN
You are so very welcome. It is a magical place. Stone, especially marble, is such a powerful medium and for me one of the ultimate challenges as a sculptor. You have to work with the stone in order to reveal its inherent beauty.
Thank you. I really try to reuse everything and I get a lot of material donated. Here is a public art sculpture that is applied vs cast ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-iu4ICz4OU_Q.htmlsi=wPtzyI9TUN2b7tSn I have another new video coming out soon on this applied process too with some adjustments in case you are curious :) best wishes
I was so excited to see a new video from you in my notifications Jyl! Your wing sculpture series is a not only a feast for the eyes, but touches my soul. I've been in awe of the innate beauty and power of wings since I was a little girl. Growing up I was a competitive gymnast, spending countless hours in the gym honing my ability to "fly" ...higher and higher. I found my desire to take flight only grew stronger over time. Your sculptures truly capture my lifelong reverence for wings....miraculously powerful aerodynamic engineering, ingeniously hidden in delicate beauty. BRAVO Jyl!! ~~Christy~~
Hi Christy, so nice to hear from you. I really appreciate your thoughtful words and careful watching of my videos. I was also a gymnast growing up. I loved uneven bars and that always felt like flying to me. My wings give me a sense of hope as do your kind words, best wishes, Jyl
@JylBonaguro For years I talked with some women who wanted too be lifecasted models for statues.Your artistry is unique and wonderful.I'm a beginner but your technique is great I had a friend of mine let me alginate her full body into statue form.April is her name she loved the idea of becoming a work of art.I never used material that harden or would put my model in danger I wish I could meet you .I have talked with some beautiful who want something like this done. You sound very mature and beautiful.❤😊😂
Hey question for you. Is there a way to cast the concrete and sculpt from that instead of sculpting in clay and making a mold? Sorry if this is a dumb question
There are no dumb questions, but terminology can be confusing. The word cast implies a mold is being used so I believe what you are asking is whether or not you can just sculpt concrete. If so then yes... this is another video that would explain that technique but it uses a steel frame or armature. I hope that's helpful :) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-iu4ICz4OU_Q.htmlsi=nnDCXwUN78CoXLG6
Yes :) if you watch this video it shows the cement and recycled marble aggregate being applied directly to the armature which is comprised of steel and foam. Hope that's helpful ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-iu4ICz4OU_Q.htmlsi=nnDCXwUN78CoXLG6
Nice work, thanks for showing.there is a sculpture here in ireland which comemerates the kindness of the choctaw people to the irish famine relief during the great hunger in 1847 its titled Kindred spirit
sorry about that! my studio address is 4200 w Diversey Ave 17A, Chicago, IL 60639 I have a book coming out in the fall btw :) Really appreciate it! @@leonardodalongisland
A nice thing to do with the marble waste. 👍 I think the mould the guy made wasn’t well executed, I’ve no idea why he thought he needed 6 parts , totally not necessary with silicone. You should’ve used fibreglass for the jacket , it’s lighter and more durable over time. Just laminate straight over the silicone applying a gel coat first. The joins could’ve been formed when applying the silicone , not cut with a knife afterwards, this might be suitable in other applications, but not this. The amount of flash lines you had to clean was a nightmare. I think the guy was probably more used to making plaster piece moulds.
I agree the amount of flash lines was intense and the plaster is heavy vs fiberglass for the outside! Thank you for your feedback, I will pass it along.
I thought about that method, but you would have to work very fast to sculpt the concrete and concrete does not do detail as well as clay because of the aggregate and sand. I was able to refine the pieces over weeks of time by using clay then casting. Hope that's helpful.
You are so very welcome. I feel with all the technological advances a lot of these older techniques will no longer be used, so it's important to me to document them. Enjoy!
You have skills, but speaking as a working sculptor for thirty plus years, you need to study proper anatomy and forms, especially of the head and face. Your school training must have been lacking in fundamental principles, but this is sadly not uncommon. I feel the need to say this because I don't think that you are hearing proper constructive criticism and it's stifling your growth as an artist. No hate or shade. My father worked in marble and I know how challenging it is. The positive comments from well-meaning viewers of your content are coming from people unable to perceive what skilled artisans see. I made the greatest strides in my work following true but often stinging criticism from others. It may not seem like it, but my comment is an attempt to help, as you seem like a nice person with the ability to grow.
