Duckie Ruckenstein's unique works capture the essence of classical sculpture and update it with a contemporary visuality. Building on the timeless traditions of the Italian masters, she shows that a true artist really breathes life into stone through an intimate and interactive process. Ruckenstein began creating art in the mediums of oil, charcoal and pastel painting. However, upon visiting the Academia in Florence, and viewing Michelangelo's David, she was captivated by the process of carving marble.
Before beginning a work, Ruckenstein studies the raw stone intensely, waiting for its hidden inner subject to reveal itself and emerge organically. She wants to convey this subject first, and her facility with stone second. Carving the base and the subject from the same stone, she gives pieces a seamless fluidity and grace. She exacts every vein of the stone to match the anatomy of the creature and in so doing conveys an incredible level of biographical detail about her subject. By the time she polishes each stone to a glossy sheen it is infused with life. Originally from the Philippines, Ruckenstein now resides in Canada.
|