We were lucky to catch up with Paula Slater recently and have shared our conversation below.

Paula, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Although I’ve had the honor of sculpting many large and prestigious bronze monuments, when asked what is my most important and meaningful sculptural project, since 2009 I’ve always said the bronze portrait busts I sculpted to support the Iranian protests against their terrorist Government.
In 2009 I sculpted portraits of ‘Neda Agha-Soltan: Angel of Iran’, ‘Neda: Angel of Freedom,’ and ‘Sohrab Aarabi: Freedom Warrior’. Now, I would add the bronze portrait bust I recently sculpted of ‘Mahsa Jina Amini: Angel of Liberty’ to support the millions of protesters in Iran today. Mahsa, like Neda in 2009, has become the face of massive on-going protests for freedom in Iran.The death of 22-year-old Mahsa on September 16th while in custody of the Iranian “morality police” for wearing her hijab/scarf too loosely, has stirred millions of Iranian protestors and World-wide condemnation of that brutal fascist Regime.

For a backstory of why I sculpted these bronze portraits: When I moved to Northern California a few decades ago, I went to work for the sweetest Iranian family. They told me how they had to flee Iran/Persia for their lives in 1979 when the Islamic Regime took control of their country. I learned many things about their plight and continued to follow the news about the murders and heinous crimes committed by that terrorist Regime. In 2009 when I saw the news reports and video of a beautiful young woman named Neda, being shot in the heart, I wanted to do something to help. But what could one person do? My inner voice whispered ‘Sculpt her portrait, that‘s what you can do.’ The victims’ families were forbidden to have memorial services for their loved ones who were killed while protesting for freedom and Democracy. So sculpting their portraits became my way of trying to bring comfort to their families and to show my support for the Iranian people. The Neda Foundation in London told me these historic portraits will become an Iranian National Treasure and to please keep them safe. I will continue to keep them safe until I can donate them to a National Museum in Tehran of a free Iran!

Paula, 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?

My sculptural works are viewed by millions of people each year. I’ve been a full-time Professional Sculptor for the past thirty years, becoming internationally recognized for many monumental and life size Public Bronze Monuments and Memorials. Two of my Bronze Sculptures have been designated State Landmarks and I was also awarded the great honor of sculpting the many monumental bronze sculptures that make up a huge U.S. National Monument.

Among the many other public art monuments is 7-1/2ft high Ulysses S. Grant Monument for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY, a 10ft high Abraham Lincoln for the Washington County Courthouse in Springfield, KY, 15 castings of Neil Armstrong’s detailed Apollo 11 Spacesuit located at NASA and in Museums around the world, a seven portrait figure bronze I named The Ascent of Heroism, 10ft high General Vang Pao with three huge Portrait Relief Bronzes telling his historic story, the over-life size Not Forgotten Fountain, Saint George and the Dragon bronze statue, 7ft high Don Salvio Pacheco bronze portrait and many others.
Sculpting portraits is my specialty and my passion! I’ve sculpted more than three dozen bronze portraits busts of Presidents, politicians, celebrities, military heroes, historical figures, leaders of industry and people from all walks of life. I’ve probably sculpted more bronze busts than any living sculptor today. My most recent bronze bust is a one and a half times life size portrait of past United Nations Secretary-General U-Thant. It is being installed at the Florida International University in Miami.

When sculpting a portrait, I strive to capture not only the detailed physical features and likeness, but also the character and spirit of the individual. I want the viewer to peer into the eyes of my portrait sculptures and sense the essence of the person. I’ve been told my bronze figures and portrait statues look so real “One should not be surprised if they came alive and climbed down from their pedestals.”

Believing in the old world ideal of ‘nothing rushed or left undone’, my mission is to give the time needed to bring each exquisite detail to life. This generous giving of time is rare in the art world today. But because bronze is the ‘King of Metals’, bronze sculpture will outlive us all. Thus a bronze portrait can become a timeless public memorial or a cherished family heirloom that can be passed down through future generations.

As my sculpting reputation has grown internationally, the sculptural projects have become larger and more prominent. My wonderful husband, Chris, retired from his general contracting business and also closed down his successful Master Art Pedestals Company several years ago to work with me on armatures, rough clay buildout, and high quality Silicon molds. We finally needed to rent a house down the block from our home for more room until we were able to build a large sculpture studio on our Hidden Valley Lake property in 2012. Chris and I enjoy traveling together to oversee installations and Monument Dedications. There is nothing else we would rather be doing than living this highly creative life together.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

This sculpting career did not happen overnight. It took many years of being a struggling artist and needing to support my art until it could support me. However, the most rewarding aspect of finally being a successful creative artist/sculptor is owing my own time. Even when I am awarded a commission and have clients, I am able to set my own hours. I have a post-it in the sculpture studio with my mantra, ‘Live as a highly creative and powerful being!’ I also have a post-it with an inspiring quote I heard, “Might as well be awesome!”

I’m always trying to fuel my motivation and keep the doors open to that Universal Source and stream of creative energy. When I am enthused and inspired, I don’t procrastinate or need to discipline myself because I am excited and energized to do the work. It is also a matter of being of service and caring about relationships. If the sculptural project is a commission, I want my clients to be included in the process.

First, I create design sketches. When the design is approved, I sculpt a small maquette/model for approval before creating the full size sculpture in clay. After the highly detailed clay sculpture is approved, my husband makes high quality Silicon and plaster molds. The bronze foundry uses these molds to pour waxes and the complex and time intensive ‘lost wax’ bronze process begins. I’m very detail oriented and am intimately involved in all aspects of the bronze process: from working the waxes to make sure every detail has been captured, to overseeing the fine finishing of the bronze metal, checking the weld lines and working closely with the patina artist. At each step of the way, I email high quality digital photographs to the client/s. I think bronze casting is such an exciting ancient process, so I enjoy sharing it with my clients. They enjoy being kept in the loop too and have written well over a hundred positive reviews and testimonials that are listed on my website.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I’m far from an expert at building an audience on Social Media. When I first started my sculpting career thirty years ago, the internet was just in its beginning stages and Social Media was pretty much nonexistent. A gentleman who admired my sculpture created a small website for me and I continued to add to it as my list of sculptures grew. My website has been my calling card and when the original became outdated, I sprang for a professional website designer to create a new one with all the bells and whistles a few years ago. It has more than paid for itself with more commission work and improved SEO. My husband also, films, edits and creates YouTube videos of our important sculptural projects and dedications which are posted on the website.

When I sculpted the portrait bust of Neda in 2009, an Iranian gentleman asked if he could start a couple of Facebook accounts for me. I said sure, not really knowing what it was, and the next thing I knew the bronze portrait of Neda went viral, crashed my website and I had thousands of followers. There is an old adage that goes, “Food for the table and flowers for the soul”. My regular commission work provides food for the table. However these bronze portrait busts of Neda, Sohrab and Mahsa, are my flowers for the soul, my gifts to the Iranian people. It’s important to use one’s gifts to contribute, to give back and I believe good Karma is the result.
Another valuable tool is writing press releases for news about important projects. Some press release companies on the internet are free and others charge a small fee if you want a photograph included. Over the years my bronze sculptures and monuments have been featured in numerous national magazines including, Art Business News and Art World News, Sculpture Journal, Art & Antiques, California Home Design, Gentry, Garden Design, Luxury Pools and Spas, Blink Art Resource Catalogue and The Guild Sourcebooks of Architectural and Interior Art. They also have been featured in many dozens of newspaper articles and news reports on Radio Free Europe, Canada Free Press, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN’s nightly News and BBC.

I am just now trying to get up to speed with other social media platforms, i.e., Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and posting a bit more on LinkedIn. I spend so much time sculpting that it is difficult to keep up—I need a secretary or a wife!! It is often difficult for artists/creatives to promote themselves, but I do what I can because as the saying goes, “you can be the best artist/sculptor in the world, but if no one knows you exist, you will not give yourself the best chance to succeed in your craft.”       

Contact Info:

• Website: http://PaulaSlater.com
• Instagram: @Paula_B_Slater
• Facebook: Paula B. Slater
• Linkedin: Paula (Hutchins) Slater
• Twitter: @PaulaBSlater
• Youtube: http://www.youtube/@paulaslater4681 and http://www.youtube/@paulaslater 2930
• Other: http://tiktok.com/@user8133425181957