Interview with sculptor Chris Bladen

We met up with Chris Bladen, artist of the White Shark sculpture for the Save Our Seas Shark Centre, to chat a little more about his work.

Chris Bladen is a South African craftsman who translates his passion for fly fishing into an art form. Ever since catching his first trout at the age of seven, he has chased fish all over the world with fly rod, camera and diving mask. Exposed to a sculptural environment from a young age by his father, who owned a stone carving business, Chris soon discovered a talent for sculpture. It was here that he started to create his first pieces in stone, wood and any other available medium.
Later, while working as a dental technologist, Chris honed his skills in wax sculpting, mould making and precision casting. He now specialises in bronze sculpture of fresh and salt water fish, which he makes by hand.

1) Did you always want to become an artist, given you have a dental technology background?

Yes! Like many parents, my father worried about how artists can have struggling careers, so he preferred that I choose something more conventional. Dental technology was very similar to sculpture in that one constructs custom made dental pieces like dentures, crowns, bridges. Dentistry forces you to work on a smaller scale with much finer detail, which I’ve translated into my sculptures.

2) Do you have a favourite species of fish to sculpt?

Billfish. I find that sailfish for example, has lines that lend itself to the sculpture and helps to accentuate the speed and stealth of the fish, giving it direction and motion.

3) Where does your inspiration come from?

I have a big love for salt water fly fishing, which I find is more ‘site fishing’ as the view is beautiful. I am fascinated by the ocean and what lies beneath it. I’m also passionate about photography which helps me show the detail in my pieces.

4) Tell us more about the commissioned White Shark for Save Our Seas Shark Centre

I was excited to sculpt the White Shark as it forced me to learn more about the species, and the detail in its form. I was invited on a boat trip with Alison Kock to see them in all their glory, breaching around Seal Island.

It’s great to show people a realistic life size White Shark to give them a feel for what this shark looks like, without having to be in their ocean environment. The message I would like to convey is ‘Look how beautiful they are!’ and hope that this helps contribute to their awareness.

5) Have you done any shark sculptures before?

I’ve done a Ragged Tooth shark before, but this was the first life size shark I’ve made!

6) What do you think of the work Save Our Seas does?

I think its first prize that you teach kids from a young age about marine life – they are our future generation and change-makers. I’d like to see the fish outlive the bronze!

Chris will be replacing the temporary shark sculpture outside the Save Our Seas Shark Centre, with his final fibreglass version on 13 March 2012.