The 3 Are Finished in Clay Ready to be Cast

As a fine artist telling people the “back story” of a painting or sculpture is as enjoyable as creating the work. It enables me to share my thought processes, research and maybe even a bit of my soul. People may not agree with my end product but by telling the story of the piece they come away more knowledgeable and less intimidated. 

The Woman Patriot

 

 

 

First was the question of what type of woman was she? 

She was the woman left behind as her husband went to war; to raise the family, work the farm, run the store, teach children, be the politician at social events, work in the shops, be the lady of the house, make the decisions to keep a roof over her family’s head and food on the table. She was capable, hardworking and proud.

How did she participate in the war effort? 

She participated by boycotting British goods, producing goods for soldiers, spying on the British, and serving in the armed forces disguised as men, served on the battlefield as nurses, water bearers, cooks, launderers and saboteurs.

What did she wear in the 1770’s? 

I looked at paintings, read journals and books on the fashions of the time from 1770-1790. She dressed depending on her station in life. They all wore the same basic articles of clothing, but it was about the quality, fashion, and materials. Her gown could have been wool or cotton or silk, and her undergarments were linen.

The question was who was the Woman Patriot in my mind? 

I had the image of a woman who was not the farm girl, but slightly better dressed and who could be a camp follower and yet pass herself off as a educated lady when it became necessary. Not a socialite but working class like a teacher or shop keeper.

She is wearing a typical fitted long full dress and an over skirt with a tight waist, 3/4 length sleeves and a shawl over her shoulders. Her cap is a cloth cap that covers the top of her head and ties so that the edges scallop. In her left hand she carries a basket of vegetables or flowers.

Through my research, I found a lady that was the persona I wanted.

Mercy Otis Warren. An avid patriot, Warren began writing political dramas that denounced British policies. Her 1772 satire, “The Adulator", criticized the British colonial governor’s policies a full four years before Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. Warren also published two additional plays skewering British colonial leaders, Defeat (1773) and The Group (1775.) She supported the Boston Tea Party, boycotts of British imports and urged other women to follow suit.

 This then is the back story of the Woman Patriot and why I have created her as I did.

 The Black soldier of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment.

The 1st Rhode Island Regiment became known as the “Black Regiment” due to its allowing the recruitment of African Americans in 1778.  This decision, designed to help fill dwindling ranks among the Rhode Island regiments, is regarded as having produced the first African American military regiment.  This is incorrect, however, since its ranks were never exclusively African American. 

 

 The 1st Rhode Island Regiment eventually totaled around 225 men including 140 who were African Americans, by far the largest percentage of blacks in an integrated military unit during the American Revolution.  Although the 1st Rhode Island Regiment initially placed its African American soldiers in separate companies within the regiment, this process eventually gave way once more African Americans were no longer recruited.  Slowly the entire regiment became fully integrated.

 

Interestingly enough, the uniform for this regiment consists of white overalls (pants with gaiters attached), a white shirt and black neck sock, white vest and a short white rifleman coat with small fringe.

His cover (or hat), is very unique to them. The front panel is teardrop shaped, black with white piping and a white anchor on the face. Behind the face panel they have red and black feathers.

Along with this uniform, they also carry a canteen and a cartridge bag slung across their chest that hang to the back.

The Oneida Warrior

I contacted the Oneida Indian Nation asking for what they consider the clothing of the Oneida warrior during the American Revolutionary War. They were very gracious by responding with not only an illustration of the warrior, but also a story about their partnership with the Patriots. This story will be engraved into the red granite Memorial walls (see below colored text).

 

Long pants, probably deerskin, and around the knees wool garters tied to hang down the outside of the leg, a loincloth over the top. On top of that is a patterned long sleeved cloth shirt tied at the waist with a wide woolen sash. Around the arms are silver armbands and they have a lot of silver bracelets.

 

Around his neck is a silver gorget and he has earrings that are   two round discs tied together. His face is not painted. The top of his head has a painted skull cap, they would have worn red paint during an attack and black during defensive action. He is bald except for a back circle of hair where he adds feathers that stick up. 

 

I have deleted the red and blue blanket over his left shoulder and over the arm.

He is carrying a short barrelled rifle and a very distinctly shaped tomahawk.

The Oneida Indian Nation – America’s First Allies

The Oneida Indian Nation’s legacy of supporting the United States military dates back to the Revolutionary War, when Oneidas fought alongside the colonists in the battle against the British. Having fought valiantly in several key battles of the American War for Independence including the battles of Oriskany, and Saratoga, the Oneida Indian Nation, the only member of the Six Nation Haudenosaunee Confederacy to side with the Americans, became known as the United State’s first allies.

Since the American Revolution, Oneidas have fought in every American military conflict, memorializing their longstanding support, friendship and reverence for the United States and the values it holds.

Here Is Where I Am On the New Sculptures

 

Getting There

 
Now it is starting to take on the right attitude I am looking for. 

Time to work on the face and hat a bit more and some of the rifle and pants details. 

 

And Now the Black Soldier of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment

 

The beginning of the last of the six figures.

The Black soldier of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment.

Like the others, it all starts with the figure that goes under the clothes. On this one, I ran out of dowel to use as the base of the rifle, so I have one of my tools as a stand in prop.

In the next photo below I have started to add the personality of the figure with the face and a rough rendition of a uniform. 

Interestingly enough, the uniform for this regiment consists of white overalls (pants with gaiters attached), a white shirt and black neck sock, white vest and a short white rifleman coat with small fringe.

His cover (or hat), is very unique to them. The front panel is

teardrop shaped, black with white piping and a white anchor on the face. Behind the face panel they have red and black feathers.

Along with this uniform, they also carry a canteen and a cartridge bag slung across their chest that hang to the back.

Here is Where I Am Today on the Warrior

I need to do a bit more detail work on rifle, and maybe take off the blanket he is wearing. It is a nice addition to soften up the piece a bit and add an air of royalty, but in battle he would not wear it.

Something to think about.

 

 

The Oneida Warrior Begins

 

Starting with a sketch and building the base of the figure. Again I build the body and then dress it. That way it looks correct.

 

You can see by the sketch how this proud warrior is dressed.

Long pants, probably deerskin, and around the knees red wool garters tied to hand down the outside of the leg, a loincloth over the top. On top of that is a patterned long sleeved cloth shirt tied at the waist with a wide woolen sash. Around the arms are silver armbands and they have a lot of silver bracelets.

 

Around his neck is a silver gorget and he has earrings that are   two round discs tied together. His face is painted red from the eyes down with red circles under his mouth and above his eyes. The top of his head has a painted V shape and he is bald except for a back circle of hair where he adds feathers that stick up. 

On this warrior I have added a red and blue blanket over his left shoulder and over the arm, in some images I have found it looks like a warrior chief wears one.

He is carrying a short barrelled rifle and a very distinctly shaped tomahawk.

All in all a force to be feared, standing guard and waiting.

The Woman has Arrived

Working on the Woman today, outside temp is 100 degrees but inside my studio with AC and fans on to keep the clay cool, I am wearing a sweater and gloves to keep warm. Crazy right?

This woman is wearing a typical fitted two part long full dress ( looks like a short dress over the dress) with a tight waist, 3/4 length sleeves and a shawl over her shoulders. Her cap is a cloth cap that covers the top of her head and ties so that the edges scallop. In her left hand she carries a basket of vegetables (hard to see from this angle).

I have completed the basic model and I will let her sit for a while and live with it. Make a change here and there over time until she is what she wants to be.

Then ready to cast into maquette sculptures to add to the first three Soldiers.

Time to move on to the next sculpture,I think I will work on the Oneida Warrior next.

And So I Have Begun

After a lot of research and many drawings, I have decided on the poses of the three new sculptures...more or less.

In the first photo on the left I have drawn the outline of the new figures on the base boards. From here I will start to build the figures in clay.

In the second photo, I have started on the "Patriot Woman" figure. Up next to one of the Soldiers, I have tried to keep her smaller in proportion. She will stand about 5'3" in the full size version.

If you look at the drawing on the back board above, you should notice that as I was working on her in clay she developed an "attitude". Look familiar? That is the confidence and strength look coming through. A no-nonsense "I can get it done" attitude.

Go with it. She will tell me how she wants to be seen.

Even though the figure will be covered with a huge full dress and apron, the figure underneath has to be done correctly and fully so that she wears the clothes convincingly. And yes, underneath all of that clay is her heart.

“Artist Michael Tieman Announces Three Additional Life-Size Sculptures for the Oregon Revolutionary War Memorial”

One of the nice things about being the designer of the Oregon Revolutionary War Memorial is that I can make changes. With the tenor of America today, it has made me think about other groups that helped in the Revolution and have taken a back seat in the history of the War.

I have completed the maquettes of the three soldiers depicted on the Memorial, the Continental, the Militia and the Minuteman, and I am working on the first of the three full sized sculptures. Over the last several years my DAR friends have asked if I would add a woman sculpture to the Memorial, and I have agreed but it was not part of the original cost of the Memorial so I suggested they could raise some funds for the sculpture and I would donate my time. I even have made drawings but have set it aside. My bad.

The plus to setting it aside is that it has gelled in my mind and I have made many changes to the original sketches. She has grown in stature and importance for her contribution to the War.

So has the importance of two other groups. The Black soldiers and the Native American Nations, both almost lost in history.

The Memorial is a living, breathing ever changing interactive educational tool. Used to tell the story of the American Revolution, not just a list of names Honoring those who fought and died for Freedom. It is a Memorial to ALL who helped win the fight for Freedom.

I have decided that I will sculpt three additional life-sized sculptures of those three lost groups of Patriots.

The Woman to honor the ladies who were left at home to keep the family, farms, businesses and towns going during the War. Yes, they even had to take up arms for protection.

The Black freemen and slaves who fought for their freedom as well as the country.

The Native American nations who fought to keep their lands and help build a new country for all.

To represent the Black soldier’s contributions, I will make the Memorial figure represent a soldier of the 1^st Rhode Island Regiment, the first Black military regiment. Many more than these 225 men fought on the Patriot side, about 5,000-9,000, but this regiment will be a great group to honor all Black Patriots.

To represent the Native American warriors, I have chosen the Oneida Nation. The Oneida Indian Nation became the first ally to America when they joined the colonists in their fight for independence during the American Revolutionary War at Lexington, Concord, Bunker Hill and their diplomats attended the June 11, 1776 Continental Congress in Philadelphia.

I am adding links to a 1^st RI regiment www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/first-rhode-island-regiment/ and the Oneida Nation website www.oneidaindiannation.com so you can become familiar with who these Patriots were.

Research is the key to accuracy, and I have started that research. This will take some time and many drawings to get the proper figures. When I start a sculpture, my drawings always begin with the faces, that sets the right attitude I am looking for and that attitude sets the pose. The heart is the first thing I sculpt and then build the clay figure around it. Even though it is hidden, it gives the sculpture it’s soul. Attitude and soul make a sculpture “alive”.

Stay tuned to the ORWM blog as I will update it with the results of my research, sketches and final clay sculptures.

Other links for your enjoyment: Oregon Revolutionary War Memorial web site and blog, Artist Michael Tieman’s web site and his Blog.