Mary Oros

Inspired by movement in nature, dance, and body language, I begin my sculpture by drawing in space with my armature materials. Each line drawn is an emotional response to the previous one. I usually start with a general concept and formal consideration as a carryover from my previous sculpture, but no specific plan for the final result. I am an observer as the sculpture evolves. While building, my main concern is for the piece to work well in the round so that there is a continuum of expression anywhere I pause. Only after I’ve completed the sculpture can I articulate its meaning according to what was going on in or around my life at the time, so I title the works based on the movement of how the piece unfolds. 

From start to finish my medium-sized pieces take at least three months to create with the majority of time spent building the armature. Once completed, the armature is very close to the final form. I coat and pack the armature with my concrete mix - a recipe given to me by an engineer involved in bridge building. It is structural, stronger than I need, has some flexural and tensile strength, and allows me to work fairly thin keeping the weight down to 35 -74 lbs. for my medium-sized sculptures. When the base coat has set I topcoat it with decorative concrete with integral color, or most recently I have started painting the surface. All of my sculptures are intended for indoors.