Rachel Carson Portrait Bust (Clay for Bronze)
"Hi Paula,
This looks great!!"~ David Greenberg
Artist Representative
"Ms. Slater,
I am notifying you that you are one of two finalists for the Rachel Carson Bronze Bust. We are now moving to Stage II..... we look forward to seeing your final product."~ Merenica Banks (Contract Specialist)
Acquisition Operations
U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Location:
Artworks Foundry
Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Size:
17" Wide X 9"Wide X 5.25" Deep
Year Completed:
2024
I was asked to sculpt a portrait bust of ‘Silent Spring’ author, Rachel Carson for the Department of the Interior (presently being cast in bronze). Carson has been called the first environmentalist. It was her important research, writings and speaking before Congress that lead to the banning of DDT. She has been one of my heroes and I wanted her portrait to be uniquely special. So I sculpted her portrait atop a column to give it height and prominence and took inspiration from Carson’s groundbreaking books, ‘Silent Spring’ and ‘The Sea Around Us’, to design and hand sculpt the detailed relief that graces all four sides.
Reading Carson’s best selling books decades ago while in college had a profound influence on my understanding of the fragility of our planet’s eco system. It opened my young eyes to the dangers that human plunder, manufactured poisons and pollution can reek on our environment.
