We recently connected with Martin Dawe and have shared our conversation below.

Martin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

My studio has been fairly successful over the last 40 years with a portfolio that includes several hundred commissions. I employ several artists and an amazing mold maker. there have been ups and downs, especially in the beginning, but now I think we have a very good reputation and get much of our commissions through word-of-mouth and we have a high rating on Google searches. I did hire an SEO company 4 years ago, which was expensive but worth the cost.

Working as an artist is a labor of love and a truly remarkable thing. I am one of the fortunate individuals whose hard work and years of dedication have enabled me to establish not only a thriving studio but also one that can support others pursuing a similar path. To be an artist means something different to all those who practice it; for me, it’s a way to create the ideas of those who commission me. It gives me and my work life to fulfill so many meaningful and interesting commissions.

Martin, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was fortunate to get an apprenticeship with Julian Harris in 1980 when Mr. Harris was 72 years old, and worked with him until his passing at age 80. I don’t think I’d have a career if I hadn’t had that apprenticeship. He taught me many things about how to be a commissioned sculptor. Mr. Harris also gave me my first two commissions when the client couldn’t afford him. It is difficult to get commission work without a portfolio and vice versa. He helped me start my portfolio.

At Cherrylion Studios, we get a wide range of commission work, but our main focus is figurative bronze work. From small delicate sculptures to larger-than-life monuments, we are more than capable in our creation process to complete such works. How it starts is someone will reach out to us with an idea, we provide a quote, then we can make a mini version of their piece called a maquette. We work very closely with our clients throughout the process to ensure customer satisfaction, especially for those more detailed, true-to-life figure portraits we often do. We pride ourselves on our quality and attention to detail.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

A few years back I was commissioned to create an abstract figure that greatly tested my skill. I still consider this piece to be one of my favorite projects to this day; its name is Landing Grear and is installed at Terminus in Atlanta.

I began with a one foot tall maquette which was positioned to stand on one of its hands. I loosely began to work on the texture; specifically, I would use my thumb to create its abstract appearance. After completing the maquette, I now had to size up the figure twelve times its size to create the twelve-foot tall figure sculpture. I had to solve how to accurately size up my gestural thumb-prints in the clay.

I found that I needed to create a new tool to help me. The tool was made from rubber and took the form of a pattle I could wear on my hand. From there, I was able to create the texture of the maquette. I still keep the tool as a reminder of Landing Gear and that art is a versatile creative field that requires thinking outside the box..

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being an artist is when we complete a project and get to see how the people react to the work. In many cases, we love to see the joy our hard work brings a community when the piece is unveiled, or when a client receives their sculpture. From the beginning of a project to the end at installation, we are grateful to be creating art; and we are proud to be a part of so many peoples lives in this way. Art brings many people together so being able to create a sculpture to further connect people is greatly rewarding.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cherrylion.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cherrylionstudios/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CherryLion/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cherrylion-studios/

Image Credits

All photos by Cherrylion