Discovering the World of Sculpture

Twenty SCO youth attended a sculpting class recently on our Ottilie campus in Briarwood, Queens.

Renowned local artist Sherwin Banfield led the class, teaching the basics of clay sculpting. The students were tasked with creating masks. They carefully followed along as Sherwin demonstrated how to shape and sculpt with clay and water.

Sherwin is inspired by hip-hop. He follows his dream of “making art that is open and available to the public.” His works include “Sky’s the Limit,” a tribute sculpture to popular hip-hop artist Biggie Smalls in Dumbo, Brooklyn; “The G.O.A.T.,” a monument dedicated to the artistry of Queens hip-hop legend L.L. Cool J. in Flushing Meadows Corona Park; and “Passenger Relief,” a drawing/photography/sculpture mix capturing the energy and activities of LaGuardia Airport in Marine Terminal A.

In addition to teaching sculpting methods, Sherwin showed the class some of his art and explained where the inspiration for each piece came from. It made his class think about how when we see art, statutes, and sculptures in the street, most of us don’t realize that there is a back story behind it and someone who has a passion for it.

The sculpting class was a big hit with our youth. It gave them exposure to something many of them had never done before and opened them up to the world of art. The masks they created will forever be a reminder of the experience.