Touching Magic – by Eleen van der Walt
Sculptor and Relief Artist By Peter Hulley 2014.
Touching Magic was founded by Eleen van der Walt, in 2013.
Eleen van der Walt creates Sculptures inspired by a Heart for the Conservation of Africa’s larger wildlife. The dire plight of the Rhinoceros and the alarming rate at which the magnificent animals have been poached in the last few years has been well publicized in the media - and that informs the artist’s present focus on supporting the current Rhino conservation efforts.
The Artist Brand “Touching Magic”
Through Touching Magic Eleen van der Walt, who holds a BA (Fine Art) from Unisa, markets her Artistic ability to Corporate clients that wish to commission her to create lifelike and life-sized physical representations of any type of wildlife to aid and enhance their corporate branding effort. Private clients who passionately shares in her vision are also welcome to approach her to discuss their thoughts and needs. Eleen is also open for collaborative projects but her passion is making a difference in Anti poaching.
The Sculpture
After creating the general bodily form of the animal to be sculpted using various media (which may involve steel rods, wire mesh, and/or fiber glass), Eleen adds the finer physical features of the Creature coming to life under her crafty hands by fashioning a surface with Prestik. The Prestik, which is pliable and holds the molded form well, is then colored and hued with oil paints; the finished product is then coated with an aviation-strength RESIN that is especially hard, to prevent the sculpture from being damaged when bumped or moved.
Before commencement of a project, Eleen will discuss the mounting structure that will be required for the weight, size and placement of the sculpture with her clients. This is to prevent someone ordering a sculpture, only to discover it is too big for the space it must fill or too small for the purpose at hand.
Eleen documents the creation process of her sculptures photographically, as this meditative creative process can be incorporated into the presentation of the artwork as a multimedia entity, to complement the artwork and add to the poetic quality and meaning of the work.
Work – is Love made visible.. ( Kahlil Gibran )
Milestones in Eleen van der Walt’s Artistic Development Journey.
In 1994 Eleen registered for her first year of studies toward the BA (Visual Art) studies at UNISA. That marked the Walt beginning of her slow and testing journey as a budding artist–-saving money for 2 years, and studying for 1 year. However, the passing of her father–with whom she had a close bond— in 2007, had a huge emotional impact on her sense of wellbeing. Of that experience she says:
“Since my Father passed away April 2007, my work has become deeper—more meaningful and sophisticated. It was during my 3rd year while studying with UNISA( in 2008) when I was pondering and attempting to portray the inevitable issue of ‘life and death’ through my work that I discovered Prestik as being the medium that could best portray the message of hope; something which I was—ultimately–-still searching for deep within my own heart. What started out for me as a potentially morbid subject had turned to the positive; and, in fact, by the end of that year, had become quite humorous.. and the creation process quite surreal.
The Living. 2008, - The First Prestik Sculpture ‘The Scull of an Owl
Eleen van der Walt recalls the moment she was playfully rolling a string of Prestik between her fingers while meditating on the overwhelmingly complex concept of the gift of life. That was the moment in which the vision for establishing Touching Magic was inspired. While pensively sitting there, she glanced down at a book on the table next to her and saw a picture of an owl’s skull. That moment was one of magical realization in which she felt and saw the connection between the medium and searching thoughts; the similarities of the discolourment of the skull and the much-used Prestik hit home.She realized their similarities in texture: the brittleness of both; yet, in contrast with the hard brittleness of the bone, was the soft brittleness of the Prestik that emphasized its fragility—its impermanence. Yet, in the abundance of life and electricity secretly hiding within the medium—waiting to be explored—Prestik can be both strong or it can be brittle—as is animal or human bone. Yet, in contrast, again, Prestik is soft; almost fleshy, tangible...like life itself. It is in fact…like touching magic.”
Eleen van der Walt says, “Prestik, as an art medium was the tangible substance that not only helped me find healing after the untimely death of my father, but—more importantly—it was the catalyst to new life and purpose within me as an sculptor. Consequently, while a student at UNISA, my third year project entitled ‘The Living’ was born.
For me, Prestik is like life…you have to stick to it like Prestik, to find its magic.”
Coincidently, and almost playfully, I had discovered that Prestik—as a medium of expression—
.....which continued producing my final body of work for Unisa in 2010.
2010 Final Year Work CHAMAELEO
It was while she was in her final year of fine art studies at UNISA Eleen’s persistent technical experimentation of applying Prestik as an art medium matured to become special and unique. And, while preparing for her final year project, Chamaeleo, she had the vision for developing her range of sculptures for Touching Magic.
Adding to the fun Eleen experienced during the creation phase of Chamaeleo was the unexpected element of audience reaction. The sculptures exhibited were all uninterestingly pure white in colour. However, during the exhibition a variety of interesting coloured textures were projected onto the sculptures, which ‘splashed’ onto the walls of the exhibition space to create an intriguing atmosphere..
My Art is my Prayer – Nature is my Blank Canvas…” Eleen 2010.
The multimedia effect of the enlarged reflections of the animals on the walls was thrilling to the eye; it ignited a feeling of magic in the heart of the viewers; and it also enhanced the sense of the majesty the creatures exhibited. The true magic happened was created.
Eleen van der Walt completed her BA (Visual Art) degree studies in 2010, with year work
Why I nickname my medium—Prestik—‘Modern Marble’
In the Renaissance period in Italy, some 500 years ago, Michelangelo created magical marble sculptures which even today grace spaces in buildings that date from that era. The fun factor of working with Prestik and pushing the materialistic properties of the medium to the limit caught my imagination. Like my most idealized Sculptor, I aspire to enhance the interior of some of our modern architecture, with exquisite sculptures created from this magical unconventional medium.
WHY PRESTIK?
Please see my page ‘ Come to the Dance”
