Ina Marcus, a Dutch artist, centers her artistic focus around the human figure. As a self-taught artist, the enthusiasm radiating from this sweet Dutch lady during our conversation underscored that her visual creations are a direct extension of her engaging personality.
Ina’s artistic process, though rooted in the classics, carries a distinctive touch. She invests ample time in sculpting, a commitment palpable to anyone who engages with her work. In her early days, she meticulously chose clay, added a metal frame, creating a jigsaw puzzle onto which clay pieces were applied until satisfaction. Waterproofing and a unique painting technique, crowned with a final layer of varnish, were her finishing touches. Today, bronze reigns as her preferred medium, adding an extra layer of authenticity to her art.
Describing her bronze working method, she shares, “I make my sculptures from bronze, solid bronze, always unique pieces using the lost wax method. I often shape my statues based on the stone’s form or design a complementary pedestal. Sculpting starts with wax, utilizing easily flammable materials like skewers. The bronze foundry takes it from there, casting, creating ventilation channels, and shaping it in a casting mold. The channels, also bronze, are ground off, followed by sandblasting. Then, the patination process imparts color, achieved by heating the statue and adding a specific liquid, resulting in a unique patina.”
Ina Marcus doesn’t overlook the pedestals; for her, they are not mere supports but extensions of the sculpture’s atmosphere. Color, size, and finish become pivotal components in enhancing the overall aesthetic.
Her art exudes elegance and finesse, transporting me to eras where art and fashion seamlessly danced in sophistication. After witnessing her work, my mind conjured the iconic image of Audrey Hepburn from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Despite occasional whimsy and disarmament in her sculptures, an underlying perfume of elegance pervades, visually captivating every observer.
Examining her sculptures from various angles unravels a narrative. One side portrays a contemplative woman sitting, while the other offers a close-up, revealing a woman lost in thought. Though sparing with color, each hue is expressive, elegant, and impactful. The impressions left by her art linger, imprinting themselves in the observer’s mind.
Ina Marcus’s style is truly one-of-a-kind: ethereal, dreamy, and light. Her sculptures transcend mere aesthetic objects; they become portals to a world where emotions dance with artistry. With an allure that defies time, her bronze creations beckon us into a captivating dance between elegance and emotion.
