Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Colin Richmond

Sometimes Art (with a capital “A”) is more than just paintings hanging on a museum wall or statues in a famous courtyard.

Sometimes Art can be as simple as homemade crafts that have that special something that catches your attention.

Colin Richmond, an MBA-turned-sculptor, is the artist and creator of Colin’s Creatures in Asheville, North Carolina, started in 1993.

The artist creates handcrafted creatures made from a unique combination of materials including porcelain, castable stone, and imported woven fur, all chosen for their quality and ability to imitate the characteristics of each animal.

Richmond initially begins with thorough research of the breed.

He often travels across the globe to visit heritage farms, attend agricultural shows, and meet with breeders dedicated to the stewardship and conservation of ancient breeds of livestock.

Once he feels he has an understanding of an animal and its specific traits and personality, Richmond carves the heads, legs, horns and other parts that will eventually be cast in porcelain.

Porcelain is just one of the keys to capturing what he describes as the “expressive nature” of his animals, which have porcelain heads and legs and solid hydrostone bodies.

Richmond uses hydrostone, the hardest and strongest plaster available, which is chosen for its stability and solid weight in the hand.

He pours the smooth, clay-colored liquid into handmade molds, fastening them together with a large rubber band, and sets a kitchen timer which dings when it’s time to release the creature from its formative binding.