The art of sculpting

The humble sculptor, who lives at 19 Gibbs Trace, Lendore Village, Chaguanas, told Newsday that although he did not become a police officer, he has absolutely no regrets in becoming a sculptor.

“I always liked drawing and making items out of clay,” he said, “but I never considered putting my work into concrete until Steven Warner, another sculptor, saw my drawings. He suggested that I put it into concrete and he taught me about sculpting.”

Later, Jones decided to move out on his own and began making full style pieces. He visited the National Entrepreneurship Development Company (NEDCO) and got financial assistance to start his own business.

Jones admitted that as a sculptor in Trinidad, the work is not constant, as orders only come “once in a while.” Still, the determined and talented Jones has done quite a number of pieces over the years. The elephants at the front of the Hindu Credit Union’s buildings in Edinburgh Village and Chaguanas were made by him. He also made pieces for the Abyss, Hilton Barbados, The Lair Disco in Barataria, as well as an Egyptian-style piece for Hackim Juman and Sons Ltd.

He does not limit himself to sculpting, however. He also does paintings on houses and other buildings. “I can paint or sculpt any character,” he boasted, “spiderman is just one of them.”

So what is required to become a sculptor? Jones advised: “You must have an artistic way about you. Sculpting is a gift that you must have, but if you have an idea about drawing and sculpting on the whole then you may be able to do it. I always liked drawing and using clay to make things. Since I was 14, I started this and that’s why I enjoy it so much.”

Jones went on to describe what the actual work requires. “You need sand, cement, sharp sand, steel, mesh wire and Poly V.”

For those wanting to get into the field Jones advised: “You have to know what you are about and you must be aware of the kind of effort you have to put in. It is a time consuming process and you cannot let it frustrate you. One statue sometimes takes me two to three weeks to complete while others may take a month. You must not allow the length of time to get you down. Continue being optimistic and you will succeed.”