Josephine Bentivegna

Studio #9

After graduating art school I found employment in antique restoration. There I learned how to paint, gild, polish and wax antique objects and furniture. These are the techniques I’m still using in finishing the clay sculptures I am making now.

I’m a recent transplant from Brooklyn to Saugerties. I have worked in clay for a while now but the work went through a change in my new environment. In Brooklyn the work was more political. Here I am finding more meaning in making animal forms. I love sculpting these animals in clay and firing them. Afterwards, I paint, wax, and scrape through layers to find the finish. Sometimes I gild parts of the sculptures, too.

Art making for me is an exploration of materials and techniques. I am looking for meaning through the process. I never know how the finished piece will look. I like the surprise.