Have you always wanted to try your hand at sculpting?
As part of a Alberta Culture Days this month, Jasper Tate will leading an ‘Introduction to Sculpting’ session at the Stettler Public Library on Sept. 16th.
Things get underway at 6:30 p.m.
This workshop is open to ages eight and up and spots are limited. Those interested are asked to pre-register by calling the library, and there is no cost to attend.
Tate, 13, explained that he was around the age of four when this creative sensibility was sparked.
“We had gone to the Dollar Store in town, and there was this small pack of this colourful, mouldable and beautiful substance.”
Some was purchased for him and it wasn’t long before he was attempting to create all kinds of shapes with it. “I just loved it.”
Those skills continued to be honed over the years, and he’s also worked with different types of clay over the years, too.
“I would build entire cities and towns with it - each day, I would take it out and build with it,” he recalled, adding that just recently, his works virtually covered the family’s entire dining room table.
These days, he most enjoys shaping creatures and various characters.
He recalled the initial material that he worked with was wax-based, so it was fairly forgiving as he would work with it from start to the finished product. “What I use now is ‘baking’ clay so it’s not so forgiving when you are working with it,” he explained. “But it’s pretty easy to use.”
As to the Sept. 16th Alberta Culture Days event at the library, Tate said he’s excited to share information about an artistic medium that he has grown to enjoy so much over the years.
“For me, it’s a very fun medium, and I know that so many kids want to make their own action figures or their own unique figures from what they see in their heads,” he said.
“So I know this is a great way to get started and to show your own creativity.
“With everyone, there are different ways that they want to express their creativity - the hardest part is finding something that you can ‘form’ your ideas with,” he said. “For me, it’s sculpting.” And ultimately, the sky is the limit with what you can come up with.
“You can make your action figures. You can make things that are beautiful, incredible, or scary or cute. Anything your mind tells you you can make, you can make with clay.”
Other Alberta Culture Days event range from musical entertainment and art exhibits to live demonstrations of agriculture practices and Metis culture.
A full schedule of events is available at www.stettlerboardoftrade.com/CultureDays
