Twenty years ago, a Sun City resident was attending a class at Harper College. She noticed a very talented artist sculpting in the class. She tapped him on the shoulder and asked him “Would you ever consider teaching a sculpting class In Huntley Sun City?”
Richard Christie said, “We had just closed on a home in Sun City and here she was asking me to teach classes in our new community.”
Christie, an artist for over 70 years, said yes, and has now been teaching sculpting classes for over 20 years here in Sun City. He feels blessed and gratified to be able to help Sun City residents channel their inner talents.
When did he start sculpting?
“I started making figures with modeling clay when I was 13 years old. I made two complete football teams, my younger brothers played with them while I was in the service, so all I have left is part of one player. My profession was illustration and design. But my passion has always been sculpture. Harper College had a great art department, so my wife suggested I take some classes there. I did until the instructor came to me and said, ‘I have nothing else I can teach you.’ If you take any classes here, you can still work in the studio, but your skills may be beyond my own.”
Denice Moesch, a new student in Christie’s class said, “I have been taking Richard’s class for about a year. I took some classes in high school, but haven’t done anything since. I enjoy my time in the studio with Richard.”
Harriet Lapuma said, “You cannot find a better human being. Richard is not only a great instructor, but he is such a good person. I have been taking classes for eight years. He has the touch and the eye to help us sculpt our idea.”
Another new student, Jill Loforte Carroll, said “What I enjoy the most is the people here. I have had no experience or training and here I am.” Jill was sculpting an image of a girl with her hair hanging over her face.
Jackie Forpanek and Nick Damalas have been taking classes for a long time with Christie. Forpanek’s favorite piece is one she describes as a Mr. Clean figure with muscles.
“I like getting the definition of the muscles right,” she said.
Damalas had no experience when he began 18 years ago. He enjoys sculpting western-themed figures. He has made 40 to 50 pieces in classes.
Viewing sculpture is a dynamic three-dimensional activity. As you move around the piece, the visual perspective changes as the viewer moves through space and time.
Elvera Schwarz said, “I have been taking classes for 19 years with Richard. I always wanted to learn but had never done any sculpture. One of Richard’s lessons concentrates on eyes and ears. He has a good eye. He comes around and says arms are too long, and he’s right.”
Amy Rohr, a Sun City resident, featured before for her sculpting skills, has been taking lessons for 14 years. She is working on an Egyptian bust.
Class members have their favorite sculptures, perfecting them and loving the process.
Gerry Tarpey has been in the class for 15 years. He was working on cardinals, forming the wings with the perfection of nature. “My favorite piece was the headdress for my American Indian sculpture. I have no background in sculpting. I love doing the pieces and giving them away,” he said.
Christie has created over 100 beautiful sculpted pieces of his own. Christie said, “I especially love sculpting the strength and beauty of the ballerina. I have sculpted a few pieces of ballerinas in movement. I was so taken by ballet that I finally got tickets to the Nutcracker ballet, but to my disappointment, it was not a traditional rendition. I wanted to see the ballerina in traditional costume, but it was jeans and sweatshirts.”
When it comes to what the sculptures are made of, clay is the most common material, but there are other options.
“A few years back I was lucky enough to be able to do several pieces in bronze,” Christie said. “In the lost ‘wax process,’ the sculpture is created out of wax. When finished the sculpture is encased in several layers of plaster. The molten bronze is poured in and the wax flows out. The plaster is chipped away from the sculpture and it is then cleaned and polished. It is a wonderful process, but we do not have the facilities to do bronze casting here.”
Christie’s classes are offered on Tuesdays at Prairie Lodge from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you like to give it a try, you contact him at wjeanchristie@juno.com.
