A Study in Bronze by Dave White, Customer Service Bibliographer
Salvador Sanchez, YBP's sales representative for Latin America, has been working hard since September
to learn about YBP's services and staff. Through sales meetings and several weeks spent in Contoocook,
Salvador has gotten to know his coworkers at YBP and let them know some things about himself, as well.
His colleagues were interested to learn that in addition to his goal of sampling as much clam chowder
as possible, Salvador spends much of his free time sculpting. He brought a magnificent sample of his
work to the sales meeting, and pictures quickly made the rounds in Contoocook.
Salvador graciously agreed to answer some questions on his sculpting for Academia. We hope you enjoy reading the
interview and seeing samples of his work.
1. How long have you been sculpting? Did you have any formal training? Did you/do you work in other media as well?
I've been sculpting for four years. I have always, for as long as I can remember, liked to work with crafts from painting
to decorating ceramic figures, drawing, coloring, making figures out of whatever material I had at hand. However it has been
four years since I started taking formal courses and workshops in sculpture, painting, drawing. I have also helped another
sculptor in my spare time as a mean of formal training, modeling some of his pieces. (I will clarify, I was not the model,
but rather the one who would get hands on the material and shape the figure).
Other media? I have only modeled in clay and wax, then some of the pieces I have created directly in the metal.
Such is the case of the birds.
I have also painted, but only as part of my training. In the arts my passion is sculpture.
2. What helped shape you as an artist?
Very difficult question. Even though I can create a sculpture (conceive a figure, a form, a shape, a volume,
and then have it made into a metal piece) that doesn´t really make me an artist. I would feel very arrogant calling myself
an artist. I feel more like a person who has the capability of transforming my ideas, thoughts, experiences,
knowledge, feelings into a figure. A person who is learning what an artist is and who hopes to someday become one.
3. What are your influences? Where do you get your ideas and inspiration from?
My influences are all of my experiences, all the places I've visited, all the books I've read, all the museums
I've seen. Another influence is my educational background (Administration and Libraries). Also my personal
taste for certain periods in Art History, or certain cultures where the human form and perfect anatomy were the
norm. My country and culture, of course, are a great influence in they way I perceive anything, and therefore also
an influence in anything I do, sculptures included.
4. Does each piece have a story behind it?
Not necessarily. However, some are based on mythologies and some of the rituals narrated in literature, some are just a
way of expressing ideas, feelings, concepts, etc.
5. What are you trying to get across?
Nothing in particular. I like to sculpt and show my work. If people ask me of a particular piece I like to interact
and bounce the question to see what they "read" in the piece, then I like to tell them what my intention was.
This way I can learn how well I communicated my idea or feeling.
6. What other artists have inspired you?
I have great respect for classics such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Boticelli, for their studies of the human body as well as for the way they mastered to working with the materials and creating such wonders. In Mexico I have great respect for many artists, among them is Jorge Marin.
7. Why sculpt?
Why not? It is an excellent way of spending time. It represents hours of thoughts, of communicating with myself and
others, of searching for a way to present an idea. It is a way of physically making possible something that in real
life may not be. It is a path of feeling, of expressing, whatever, however, just freely.
And most important the feeling of seeing a piece solved and finished is great.
To see more of Salvador's work, please visit his website (in Spanish) at: www.barajas.com.mx .
Published by YBP Library Services
999 Maple St., Contoocook, NH 03229 USA
v: 800.258.3774 f: 603.746.5628
w: www.ybp.com
e: academia@ybp.com
