Mendocino Sculpture
the Work of Robert Milhollin

On Figurative Stone Sculpture:
The creative process I use in figurative stone carving is exciting, hard work, and constantly in a state of flux.

Drawing is the fundamental aspect of sculpture and one must understand the human form by having this two-dimensional experience. A clay model is then created with study and measuring the live model, then onto the stone.

I have also created many sculptures using a “direct carving” method, which means no model. I create an abstraction in the stone first, and work with it for a while until I see an interesting pose or part of one. At which point I grasp the most re-assuring profile and move, carving, a few degrees at a time in the round 360 degrees until the figure is complete.

The process I use is changing now, in that I will still use the direct carving to “find” my figure, but will then work with the live model in that pose for greater reference.

If you'd like to see Robert’s work online, view the gallery.