Tuesday, November 12, 2024

The feathered serpent

For the rest of 2014, Prehistoric Flying Reptiles, a new exhibit at the Toledo Zoo, will provide an opportunity to see what these majestic animals might have looked like millions of years ago. According to Alex Debeukelaer, the Zoo’s graphics curator, the institution took an interdisciplinary approach to discussing science by utilizing local talent to construct the three-dimensional models. The exhibit includes sculptures of a number of prehistoric animals,  each constructed by one of four locally based sculptors: Robert Garcia, Jason Karas, Douglas Kampfer and Jeremy Link.

Techniques of construction

“The armatures (a frame used by a sculptor) were made primarily of wood with other mixed media,” Robert Garcia explained. “Five of the pieces were sculpted in paper mache and various glues and putties. The pteranodon was modeled in plasticine, a plaster mold was taken from it and cast in fiberglass. All of them were hand painted with high quality acrylics.” Art can be an important tool to increase our understanding of science, Garcia insists. “Although pictures are realistic, the vital features can be emphasized more through sculpture and painting. It conveys specific information of details and interest to the viewer,”he said.

Jason Karas, a Swanton based sculptor, agrees with Garcia on the educational power of art. “Art has the power to take scientific theories and wrap them up in an aesthetically pleasing package,” Karas said. “These sculptures make it easy for people to understand information quickly. As an artist,  you have to build that visual bridge.” Karas, like Garcia, used a variety of media to bring these flying reptiles to life. “I sculpted my pieces using steel, wood, foam, fiberglass, a two part modeling compound and acrylic paint.”

Toledo-based sculptor Doug Kamfer says that projects like these sculptures can be a strong tool for bringing scientific theories to the attention of laypersons. “If you can see it and touch it, you can believe it.” Which is why Kampfer uses sculptures instead of two-dimensional drawings. “Instead of just looking at a drawing or a picture, visitors can walk all the way around a sculpture and see how everything works from every angle. Every muscle and bone can show through,” he said. But it’s not all flights of fancy; Kampfer and his business partner Jeremy Link used science to inform them so that it could be as realistic as possible. “We constructed the Quetzalcoatlus using styrofoam, steel, fiberglass, epoxy, sweat and imagination. We drew a lot of inspiration and comparative anatomy from similar animals that exist today. From the way its muscles are oriented, to how its skin folds, to the type of coloration it has.”

Science and art combined

Some people would have you believe that there’s a fundamental divide between science and art—they are separate subjects in school, after all. However, in the minds of these sculptors, and the administrators at The Toledo Zoo, that is not the case. In the words of Robert Garcia, “I have always been enthralled and mystified by the universe and all life in it. Sculpting is my way of meditating on the phenomenon of existence. I am thrilled to participate with fellow artists in this fascinating department within our magnificent zoo.” Art has the power to make science something that non-experts can see, touch and imagine. It’s not exactly Jurassic Park, but it’s still a creative way of bringing these animals back to life.

Toledo Zoo, 2700 Broadway. 419-385-4040. toledozoo.org/site/program/770

For the rest of 2014, Prehistoric Flying Reptiles, a new exhibit at the Toledo Zoo, will provide an opportunity to see what these majestic animals might have looked like millions of years ago. According to Alex Debeukelaer, the Zoo’s graphics curator, the institution took an interdisciplinary approach to discussing science by utilizing local talent to construct the three-dimensional models. The exhibit includes sculptures of a number of prehistoric animals,  each constructed by one of four locally based sculptors: Robert Garcia, Jason Karas, Douglas Kampfer and Jeremy Link.

Techniques of construction

“The armatures (a frame used by a sculptor) were made primarily of wood with other mixed media,” Robert Garcia explained. “Five of the pieces were sculpted in paper mache and various glues and putties. The pteranodon was modeled in plasticine, a plaster mold was taken from it and cast in fiberglass. All of them were hand painted with high quality acrylics.” Art can be an important tool to increase our understanding of science, Garcia insists. “Although pictures are realistic, the vital features can be emphasized more through sculpture and painting. It conveys specific information of details and interest to the viewer,”he said.

Jason Karas, a Swanton based sculptor, agrees with Garcia on the educational power of art. “Art has the power to take scientific theories and wrap them up in an aesthetically pleasing package,” Karas said. “These sculptures make it easy for people to understand information quickly. As an artist,  you have to build that visual bridge.” Karas, like Garcia, used a variety of media to bring these flying reptiles to life. “I sculpted my pieces using steel, wood, foam, fiberglass, a two part modeling compound and acrylic paint.”

Toledo-based sculptor Doug Kamfer says that projects like these sculptures can be a strong tool for bringing scientific theories to the attention of laypersons. “If you can see it and touch it, you can believe it.” Which is why Kampfer uses sculptures instead of two-dimensional drawings. “Instead of just looking at a drawing or a picture, visitors can walk all the way around a sculpture and see how everything works from every angle. Every muscle and bone can show through,” he said. But it’s not all flights of fancy; Kampfer and his business partner Jeremy Link used science to inform them so that it could be as realistic as possible. “We constructed the Quetzalcoatlus using styrofoam, steel, fiberglass, epoxy, sweat and imagination. We drew a lot of inspiration and comparative anatomy from similar animals that exist today. From the way its muscles are oriented, to how its skin folds, to the type of coloration it has.”

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Science and art combined

Some people would have you believe that there’s a fundamental divide between science and art—they are separate subjects in school, after all. However, in the minds of these sculptors, and the administrators at The Toledo Zoo, that is not the case. In the words of Robert Garcia, “I have always been enthralled and mystified by the universe and all life in it. Sculpting is my way of meditating on the phenomenon of existence. I am thrilled to participate with fellow artists in this fascinating department within our magnificent zoo.” Art has the power to make science something that non-experts can see, touch and imagine. It’s not exactly Jurassic Park, but it’s still a creative way of bringing these animals back to life.

Toledo Zoo, 2700 Broadway. 419-385-4040. toledozoo.org/site/program/770

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