How Ishtar Came To Be | Pamela Soldwedel Fine Abstract & Contemporary Sculpture | Soldwedel Sculptures

How "Ishtar" came to be...

It All Started With a Plastilina Clay Maquette 13" High

Pam enlarged the plaster of the Maquette to create a marble "Ishtar" 41" High

Typical quarry face

Looking for the right stone

Taking a sample from quarry face

Looking over blocks and checking samples

Discovering the right stone!

YES!

Wire-sawing to the right size

After being cut to size, the stone was trucked to my studio at the Cathederal Stone Company in Washington.

Being hoisted upright

YEAAAAA!! After carving it to reveal the heart of the block ... A 15,500 lb. healthy stone!!

Pam carving to 1" depth using a pointing instrument to duplicate from the painted plaster working model

Pam carving to 1/2" depth to duplicate from woprking model

Pam carving to 1/4" depth to duplicate from woprking model

Sharpening the details

Smoothing to finished surface using diamond hand pads and lots of water

Hand rubbing with wax

Escorting the sculpture to the 18-wheeler that would haul it to Tysons Corner

Ishtar arrived at Tysons Corner securely fastened to the flat bed of the 18-wheeler

A breathless moment as the now 5,000 lb. sculpture dangled from the crane hook outside the doorway of the installation site

Safely in place and inspected for any scratches or damage from the trip

Pam with the completed sculpture on the finished pedestal in the atrium of the International Gateway, 8100 Boone Blvd., Tysons Corner, VA.