| ©2008 Sarah Hempel Irani |
Frequently Asked Questions
What's your medium?
Short answer: My media are clay, plaster, bronze and stone.
Long answer: Most of the work represented on this website has been made with plasticine. Plasticine is a clay
body that has been dehydrated then combined with oil, wax, and lanolin so that it never dries or hardens. When
heated, it melts, so it is never placed in a kiln like ceramic clay. It can be recycled and used over and over again.
The plasticine is applied to an armature, which acts as a skeleton... CONTINUE
How do you make those huge sculptures into stone?
Short answer: It is a long and arduous process.
Long Answer: Coming Soon...
Wait, you didn't carve the stone yourself?
Just like there are architects and there are builders, in the world of sculpture there are sculptors and there are
carvers. I am a sculptor. I create a clay sculpture, which is cast into plaster. This plaster cast is called a "carver's
model." The carver's model is sent to the stone studio to be carved. This is the traditional way of working.
Do you offer any classes in sculpture?
Not at this time.
Why are sculptures so expensive?
First, consider the law of supply and demand. When you, or an organization, purchases a piece of original
artwork, you are getting something very unique. There may be only one in the entire world! If you purchase a
bronze series, there are only a small, finite number of casts.
Secondly, sculpture materials are very costly and take a lot of time to produce. Bronze prices are increasing daily in
today's market. Stone has to be quarried and shipped around the world.
Last, but not least, the person who makes art is and expert at what she does with years of hard work and training.
Think about the priorities of our culture. Engagement rings can cost $3,000 or more. An automobile is $25,000.
Many people have flat screen televisions that retail for a thousand dollars or more! Yet, most American households
do not contain any original art.
Good Point. I'd like to have more art, but I don't have a lot of money. How can I support the arts?
As an artist myself, I don't have very much money to spend on original art either, but my home is full of it! Start
small. Go to student exhibitions. Many times, especially with graduate student work, you can find professional
quality artwork at student prices. Not only do you get a piece of art for your home or office, but you give a huge
boost of confidence to an emerging young artist. Buy functional art. Our dinner plates and bowls were handmade.
Think about lithographs and wood block prints. Since an printmaker can produce a series, each print can be more
affordable for the buyer. We love the lithographs hanging in our living room. Likewise, don't overlook the beauty
and immediacy of a drawing. Also, don't buy ticky-tacky knick-knacks when you are on vacation. Last year, when
we went to the beach, we found an artists' cooperative and bought an inexpensive watercolor to remind us of the
time we spent there. Same with our trip to Florence. There are many skilled street painters all over Europe.
Soon, you'll come to love your art collection so much that instead of a new HDTV, you'll hang a giant oil painting
on your wall!
I'd like to ask a question!
Short answer: My media are clay, plaster, bronze and stone.
Long answer: Most of the work represented on this website has been made with plasticine. Plasticine is a clay
body that has been dehydrated then combined with oil, wax, and lanolin so that it never dries or hardens. When
heated, it melts, so it is never placed in a kiln like ceramic clay. It can be recycled and used over and over again.
The plasticine is applied to an armature, which acts as a skeleton... CONTINUE
How do you make those huge sculptures into stone?
Short answer: It is a long and arduous process.
Long Answer: Coming Soon...
Wait, you didn't carve the stone yourself?
Just like there are architects and there are builders, in the world of sculpture there are sculptors and there are
carvers. I am a sculptor. I create a clay sculpture, which is cast into plaster. This plaster cast is called a "carver's
model." The carver's model is sent to the stone studio to be carved. This is the traditional way of working.
Do you offer any classes in sculpture?
Not at this time.
Why are sculptures so expensive?
First, consider the law of supply and demand. When you, or an organization, purchases a piece of original
artwork, you are getting something very unique. There may be only one in the entire world! If you purchase a
bronze series, there are only a small, finite number of casts.
Secondly, sculpture materials are very costly and take a lot of time to produce. Bronze prices are increasing daily in
today's market. Stone has to be quarried and shipped around the world.
Last, but not least, the person who makes art is and expert at what she does with years of hard work and training.
Think about the priorities of our culture. Engagement rings can cost $3,000 or more. An automobile is $25,000.
Many people have flat screen televisions that retail for a thousand dollars or more! Yet, most American households
do not contain any original art.
Good Point. I'd like to have more art, but I don't have a lot of money. How can I support the arts?
As an artist myself, I don't have very much money to spend on original art either, but my home is full of it! Start
small. Go to student exhibitions. Many times, especially with graduate student work, you can find professional
quality artwork at student prices. Not only do you get a piece of art for your home or office, but you give a huge
boost of confidence to an emerging young artist. Buy functional art. Our dinner plates and bowls were handmade.
Think about lithographs and wood block prints. Since an printmaker can produce a series, each print can be more
affordable for the buyer. We love the lithographs hanging in our living room. Likewise, don't overlook the beauty
and immediacy of a drawing. Also, don't buy ticky-tacky knick-knacks when you are on vacation. Last year, when
we went to the beach, we found an artists' cooperative and bought an inexpensive watercolor to remind us of the
time we spent there. Same with our trip to Florence. There are many skilled street painters all over Europe.
Soon, you'll come to love your art collection so much that instead of a new HDTV, you'll hang a giant oil painting
on your wall!
I'd like to ask a question!
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