About Cantey Tomlinson Tanner
Cantey Tomlinson Tanner (formerly Cantey Kelleher) is a retired portrait sculptor and teacher who specialized in miniature figure portraits as well as half-to life-sized busts. She also created two-thirds to life-sized figure portraits as garden sculptures and fountains.
Many of her original pieces were created in water-based clay, then fired to terra cotta. These finished works of art were often then foundry-cast in bronze or marble.
Cantey attended Hollins College and graduated from UNC-CH with a degree in psychology. She practiced in North Carolina for seven years before retiring to raise a family. During these years she began studying portrait sculpture, receiving her first portrait commission in 1986 and her first awards - Best of Category and Best of Show - in 1990 from the North Carolina State Ceramic Association. She began teaching at Queens College in 1995.
Cantey taught private sculpture classes to small groups of adults for over 20 at Queens College and in her private studio in Charlotte.
Though the medium and style of her portraits is classic, the format is relaxed and personal in order to capture the true character and gesture of the individual. Each portrait is crafted with such life-like composition that it seems to breathe with a life of its own.
"Often the casual slant of a baseball cap or the playful caress of a family pet helps capture the essence of a child or adolescent at that particular point in his or her life. The fun and challenge of three-dimensional portraiture is finding the many subtle ways to represent the spirit of the individual."
Collectors along the East Coast have found that her sculptures immortalize loved ones in an art form that can be cherished for generations.
Process
The portrait process begins with a 60 to 90 minute photo session. This is when I gather most of the information I need to begin, and sometimes to complete, the sculpture. I start by getting to know the subject, explaining to him/her the process we're beginning, and working with the subject and/or parent (if the subject is a child) to choose a composition (pose) that both captures the nature of the individual and will result in a treasured work of art. Usually I will shoot two or three rolls of film, videotape the individual, make several sketches and take a number of measurements during this session.
Two to four weeks after the photo session, I often ask for a 30 to 45 minute sitting. Subsequent sittings are often desired if practical. At the point of completion, when the clay is still wet, I always request a final sitting where all interested parties can confirm the likeness and any fine adjustments can be made.
The sculpting process from initial photo session to final sitting takes approximately one to two months for all but the large, outdoor sculptures. Then the clay sculpture must carefully dry for another month before firing. At that point the terracotta piece is ready to be finished, mounted on a base, and delivered.
If the sculpture is to be foundry-cast in bronze, approximately two to three additional months is required. A “mother mold” is created from my original sculpture. From this, one wax casting is made for each bronze ordered. This is an exact duplicate of my original, but in wax. The waxes are shipped to me for “chasing” or correcting and then returned to the foundry. A “waste mold” (called this because it will eventually be discarded) is constructed around each wax casting. Once done, the wax is melted out and hot, molten bronze poured in, creating a “lost wax” casting. The mold is then broken and the casting removed, chased, and painted. This entire process, from photo session to delivery, takes approximately 5 to 6 months.
