Written by Amelia Pontifex
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Based in Brisbane but often travelling, Mela Cooke’s sculptured bronze pieces capture her observations of human behaviour and her knowledge of a mind and body connection. Her pieces are imbued with personal character, emotion and engaged expression – almost as if they are living mediums.
Mela attributes her knowledge of human anatomy, the body, form and its proportions to her experience working as a physio for 25 years. This led to her interest in figurative art and representing the body both artistically and realistically. Working in bronze predominantly, this medium lends itself to exacting details and specifications. Mela has worked in marble in the past but found that working through clay and bronze, she’s able to retrieve the beauty from within the bronze in ways that compliment the identities of her subject matter. Working from photos and live models including her daughters, Mela is able to work through a very detailed and labour intensive process of clay moulding, bronze casting and refining over an extended period of time – one that involves time, energy and emotional connection.
“I’m a people person, I’ve travelled quite a lot and enjoy observing how we interact with each other – what makes each of us different and each of us tick”.
Starting with a metal framework called an armature which grounds the work and ensures the movement and form of the figure are stable, Mela then sculpts a figure from clay refining shape and form over time. To turn the clay into bronze sculpture, rubber and fiberglass moulds are made with hot wax poured and now taking the place of the clay. When the wax is cooled, a ceramic shell is applied internally and externally to create the final mould. The wax is then melted out and the bronze poured in at 1140°C, once cooled the mould is removed to reveal the new bronze.
From here the bronze is welded, joined, polished and patinated to create the final display of form and artistic intent. This process is very collaborative and involves a number of combined skills. Each piece can take between two and three months to complete.
“I really enjoy the longer processes where I can see and form attachments to my work at all stages. I think in weeks, not in hours or days when I’m creating something. The clay is like butter and it’s such a lovely and intimate process and it’s not something I want to rush”.
Mela’s pieces are often coloured after they are created in cool blues and greens. Stepping back from the traditional bronze colours of deep browns, Mela’s colour preferences are influenced by the ocean and the world around her.
“I feel inspired by my travels, I’m often inspired by the different lights and colours that I see when I travel, and I often look to capture those different colours and a sense of emotion too”.
The materials and process that Mela goes through to create her works are part of a very ancient process of producing bronzes through lost wax casting – something that’s been done for thousands of years. This process and the time spent with her works are a continuing contribution to keeping the tradition alive as technologies move on.
There are many artists that Mela considers inspirations and influences on her work, drawn to clean lines, and figurative forms in other artists’ works like Henri Moore and Betty Rae. There are also a number of themes and ideas that Mela expresses through her work including connection to nature and water, capturing unique moments, being active and physical and creating joyful connections.
“I like things that are a bit quirky, I like to capture things from odd moments, they often convey emotion and get an essence, a moment captured. Capturing an emotion or a nostalgic moment can stay with you and have a lasting emotional affect. I suppose it’s the inner thoughts and the emotions we express, that I wish to convey. So my work involves a lot of observation of others and how they express their bodies and emotions. I tend to do things that relate to my family and I like being physical and moving my body and I like to express that in my work. It’s all about balance whether it’s mental engagement or physical movement”.
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