Robbery at the Fifth Third Bank
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Gotham Independent Film Awards
News hounds (12/4/08)
Bill Schmidt: Sculptor also creates with words
Thursday, January 31, 2008
For Lynda Sappington, West Alexandria sculptor, the publication of a fantasy novel has added yet one more notch to her long list of creative endeavors.
"Star Sons — Dawn of the Two" sits atop a lifetime of writing going back to Sappington's childhood. And the subject matter is timely.
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"It's a hero quest like Harry Potter is," Sappington said. The "hero quest" theme takes an orphan, places a quest before him (one he'll reject) and then adds a mentor (one he'll lose).
Throughout the years, Sappington tried to publish a children's book without luck, but has had the good opinion of family when she places words on paper. The book will be available next month through Amazon.com, BN.com and other sites. You can read about the book, including a sample chapter, at www.whimsyhill.com.
"I've got the second book finished," she said.
While Sappington may soon earn new honors as a writer, she's already well-established as a sculptor, especially her work with horses. Sappington, 58, maintains a Web site to display her work at www.the
sculptedhorse.com.
Recently, a carriage bronze took eighth place in the sculptor division of an international art show. "Elegance" was commissioned by Scott Kelnhofer, a Wisconsin man whose stallion, "Nanning 374" is the subject.
Sappington created the bronze from photographs, even before meeting the driver and horse in person. The work will be featured in a coffee table book.
One judge said, "The technical skill shown in this sculpture is amazing; this is a piece that required absolute mastery of the media by the artist at all stages" and "a truly stunning achievement."
Sappington's amazed by those words. "It's very rare to get comments from a judge in any art show," she said.
How many sculptures has she created over the years? "I've lost count," she admits. "Probably 40 or 50," she said.
And while the usual sculpture takes several months, "Elegance" required more than a little speed. "This one had a tight deadline. I did six months worth of work in two."
The family has always had horses. Sappington still owns two at their Whimsy Hill Farm. Daughter Jennifer Truett and her husband, Lenny, own Dancing Horse Farm in Lebanon, considered to be a "premiere dressage facility."
Where does Sappington find the time to be both sculptor and writer?
"These are my full-time occupations," Sappington explains.
But husband, John, knows she works even when he's driving her to an equine show. She pulls out a laptop computer, plugs it in, and keeps working even while the miles add up.
"The thing is," Sappington explains, "I don't do bored well at all."
