I did this full body version of the Pancho piece shortly after the previous one in ’98. This little guy only stands about 8″ tall but he’s a pretty neat little figure. I know I always smiled when I saw him….maybe it’s the size of that hog-leg hanging on his cumberbund. Pedro and Pancho are based on a figure I saw down in Santiago, Chile of all places. There is a carver there named Rudolfo Gutierrez who is, I think, the best caricature carver in the world. A good friend of mine was fortunate enough to purchase several of his pieces and allowed me to make some quick sketches and this well-armed campesino is a result of that. I know some might accuse me of copying anothers work but I was just starting to carve seriously back then and Gutierrez’s work was a great example of what I hoped to achieve. To me he illustrates the requirements of just what all good caricatures should have:
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– A good pose. While he is pretty well straight legged, the bent arm and the cocked angle of his head gives him a relaxed, life-like look. The last thing you want when doing a figure is for it to look like it came from a block of wood. To me that’s “corner-carving”!
– A facial expression that transfers to the viewer. You just can’t help but smile when you look at this guy. You just know he’s been up to something.
– A good costume. It’s clearly Mexican in this case but even if he were fitted out in a suit it should be done in such a way that it compliments the figure.
– Lots of color and a few little details that show you really enjoyed creating the piece. Collectors love pieces that stand out from what they normally see.
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I looked through my files to see if I had more views of this piece but couldn’t find any. Maybe someday I’ll do another and invite you along for the ride.
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