California Sculptor Chosen to Honor HistoricMission Builder in his Spanish Birthplace

Friar Junípero Serra, 2003
36 x 17 x 13 inches
Steel Sculpture

Betty Gold, Venice, Calif. artist, has been commissioned to construct a 15 ft abstract sculpture of Corten steel titled “Homage to Fray Junipero Serra." The sculpture will be situated outside Es Balurad Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Palma, on the Island of Mallorca, Spain, that will be completed in 2004.

Junipero Serra, a Franciscan Friar, was born in Mallorca in 1713. He eventually came to California and was the driving force behind the building of 21 missions from Sonoma to San Diego that stand to this day. The renowned collection of Pedro Serra, the major publisher and broadcaster in the Balearic Islands, will be the hallmark of the museum.

Ms. Gold, who speaks fluent Spanish, has been a regular visitor to the island and has had previous commissions there. Maquettes of her work created in Mallorca will be exhibited at the Walter N. Marks Center for the Arts, College of the Desert, Palm Desert, Calif., in late fall. Earlier this year Ms. Gold completed another signature piece situated between the library and theater on the campus of Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif.

Betty Gold, a professional sculptor for more than a quarter century, has works in more than 100 permanent installations and private collections throughout the world. All of her outdoor pieces are constructed from welded steel, and are painted with glossy enamel or left in their raw steel state to rust to a velvety patina. Her indoor pieces are created from bronze, welded steel or wood, and are painted or left in their natural state.

Ms. Gold’s prolific creative efforts include painting, drawing, silk screening, tapestry, and jewelry design, but sculpture remains her primary interest. She began her work in Texas in the 1960s, coming to Southern California in 1977. She opened her studio in Venice, Calif. in 1985.

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Southern California Sculptor ChosenTo Honor Historic Mission Builder

By Larisa Pilinsky
SPECIAL TO SENIOR LIFE

Betty Gold in her studio. Photo: Larisa Lapinksy

Betty Gold of Venice has been commissioned to construct a 15-foot abstract steel sculpture in homage to the California mission builder, Fray Junipero Serra. The sculpture will be situated outside the Es Baluard Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Palma on the Island of Mallorca, where Serra was born in 1713, scheduled for completion in 2004.

A professional sculptor for more than a quarter century, Betty has works in many museums and more than 100 permanent installations and private collections throughout the world. Her outdoor pieces are constructed from welded steel, and painted with glossy enamel or left raw to rust to a velvety patina. She began her work in Texas in the 1960s, coming to Southern California in 1977. She opened her studio in Venice in 1985.

From her violinist father, Betty inherited a love of music and the mathematical structure behind music’s magic. From her mother, who owned a Montessori school for more than 30 years, Betty discovered the world of physical objects.

For years Betty built constructions alone, cutting, welding and grinding the heavy metal pieces. “Metal pieces about one to three feet tall were as big as I could afford to cut without a laser. My daughter, girlfriends and even the garbage man helped me move the pieces around.” It took her years to receive a special show in Aspen, Colorado. Several weeks passed without any results when she received an offer that would change her life.

“We would like you to build something really big,” said the collector Sidney Feldman. “We have a steel factory in California and have helped other artists before. Just make something beautiful about twelve feet tall.” Meanwhile, she was invited to have her first museum show in Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. Shortly after, she received another call from Sidney Feldman. “The Director of the Oakland Museum wants to have your sculpture in their permanent collection. But there is a catch. You’ll have to move to California.”

It was a difficult decision. “I lived in a beautiful place in the mountains. But I knew that my future had to be in a big city close to steel factories.” In 1977 Betty Gold moved to Los Angeles, creating new sculptures, giving lectures, and finding new friends. People responded to the precise power of her metal constructions.

“If someone buys it or just likes it and it goes to a home, gallery or museum, I consider myself lucky and excited as though it’s my first sold piece. If not … I wait. The art world is unpredictable: One day you have nothing and wonder if anybody is ever going to call you again. The next day you get a big commission to put your sculpture in front of a museum. And then years go by again and nobody remembers about you.”

Betty has been a regular visitor to Mallorca and has had previous commissions there. Maquettes of her work will be exhibited at the Walter N. Marks Center for the Arts, College of the Desert, Palm Desert, in late fall. Earlier this year Betty completed a piece which can be seen between the library and the theater on the campus of Pepperdine University in Malibu. On July 30, a 10- foot geometric, steel sculpture will be installed at the South Coast Botanic Garden, Palos Verdes. You can learn more about her life and work at www.bettygold.com.

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Un homenaje a Fra Juníper Serra

Betty Gold: «Mi pensamiento es geométrico y esto se aprecia en mis obras»

La escultora prepara una pieza en homenaje a Fra Juníper Serra para Palma

IOLANDA PERICÀS
La artista norteamericana Betty Gold (Austin, Texas, 1935) descansa estos días en el Port de Sóller, donde pasa temporadas. De hecho, su última serie de esculturas monumentales lleva por título «Sóller», «porque Port de Sóller era muy largo», en honor al lugar donde la artista se inspira. Aprovechando su estancia en la Isla, Gold ha visitado la Cerrajería Artística Seguí, donde piensa trabajar en una escultura para Palma. -Explíquenos la pieza en la que está trabajando.-Es una escultura de gran tamaño, de más de cuatro metros de alto, que estará hecha de acero cortén, como la mayoría de mis obras exteriores. Será como una especie de gran hoja de papel doblada y recortada de forma muy concreta, que en este caso dejaré sin pintar, al natural, para que la pieza vaya cambiando con el tiempo y sus efectos. La obra será un homenaje a Fra Juníper Serra, porque vivo en California y la pieza es para Mallorca. Una relación obvia.

-Usted siempre trabaja con las formas geométricas, ¿por qué?-Es mi manera de pensar que se refleja en mis creaciones. Mi pensamiento, en cierta manea, es geométrico y esto se pone de manifiesto en mis obras. Además, siento un gran interés por la arquitectura, que también se basa en la geometría de las formas. Cuando he de trabajar una escultura de gran formato no me quiero perder ni un sólo detalle, porque los ángulos y los cortes han de ser perfectos. En mis piezas lo importante es la suma de todos los elementos que la conforman, como en las personas es importante la suma de cuerpo y pensamiento.

-¿Cuál es el proceso que sigue a la hora de crear una escultura de grandes dimensiones?-Todas mis obras, pequeñas o grandes, empiezan con una hoja de papel a la que voy dando forma. Después dibujo la pieza y hago una maqueta. Antes, cuando empecé con la escultura, era yo la que realizaba todo el proceso, desde la idea a la materialización. Ahora tengo asistentes que me ayudan, sobre todo en las piezas grandes, que a menudo las tengo que hacer fuera del estudio por una cuestión de tamaño.

-Usted ya tiene una escultura en Palma. -Si, fue con motivo de la Universiada. Aquel mismo año me enamoré de Mallorca. Desde entonces vengo a menudo y aquí trabajo tranquila, dedicándome sólo a crear.

-¿Qué piensa del futuro Museu del Baluard? -Creo que es una idea magnífica y necesaria para un lugar como Mallorca. El edificio es precioso y en él se combina lo antiguo, es decir, la propia construcción, con el arte contemporáneo. En este sentido es muy destacable la colección de Pere A. Serra, presidente del Grup Serra. No conozco ninguna otra persona con más pasión por el arte y su determinación ha hecho posible que el museo fuera una realidad. Será muy importante para la ciudad.

-¿Cómo ve el panorama artístico actual? - Creo que en España hay mucho y muy buen arte. No hemos de olvidar que Miró, Picasso y Dalí son los tres artistas que han marcado el siglo veinte. Por lo que se refiere a artistas más contemporáneos me gusta mucho la obra de Pablo Serrano y también la de Chillida. Es una lástima que hombres como él no puedan vivir 300 años.

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