Bobbie Carlyle's Vision of Self Made ManJavascript is needed to properly navigate this site and view the thumbnail image enlargements. Thank you for your understanding.

Self Made Man by Bobbie Carlyle Bobbie Carlyle's bronze sculpture, "Self Made Man", has been one of her most successful pieces. Like many of her works, it has evolved from the experiences in her life and has been a monumental task to accomplish. Six different male models posed for Bobbie as she created Self Made Man. Her son provided the face, while assorted body parts were "borrowed" from other men in her life. She began the first rendition of the work in Colorado in 1987 and it sat around for a year before becoming a 37-inch bronze. The monumental version began in foam covered with clay and sat idle and unfinished for some time as Bobbie circled it daily in her studio. "I had been in an accident and suffered from whiplash and a broken pelvis when I decided to put concentrated energy into finishing the sculpture," she said. "I was off crutches but still recuperating as I worked on it religiously."

Bobbie had to haul the 10-foot-tall sculpture to a friend's studio to work on the piece, since her own studio's ceiling measured only 9-feet tall. The original completed monumental work was displayed in front of the Douglas County administration building in Colorado until it was bought by the U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. "I've had some men buy smaller versions of this work for themselves and wives buying it for their husbands she said. "The piece represents man carving his future. I left deliberate nicks and abrasions in the finished work. Man needs to see signs of his own effort and toil." The tremendous response to this particular work has encouraged Bobbie to begin creating a self-made woman titled In Progress, two words that accurately describe her own artistic and personal state. ''After my divorce six years ago I made the decision to work at my sculpture full time and with full force she said. "I was raising seven children and had five still living at home. My children supported my efforts and learned to help out around the house so I could concentrate on my work."

Birth of the Self Made Man

A pregnant Bobbie Carlyle took her first sculpting class as art therapy while awaiting the birth of her fifth child. Old fashioned tools were the only ones provided In the California class. Hack saws were common, with pneumatic and electric tools conspicuously absent. "My first piece was a pregnant woman who didn't look anything like me,"" she said. "I feel that I have really improved during the past six years. It's taken a 20t of trial and error but I have learned to stretch myself artistically and become more focused." Bobbie has been enjoying creating figurative fountain sculpture lately that complements the western, animal and inspirational work normally represented in her collection. If you would like to view the Self Made Man pricing and details, Click Here. If you would like to view the Self Made Man 18" X 24" Poster pricing and details, Click Here

Self Made Man is perhaps her best known work depicting man carving himself and his future from the raw stone from which he emerges.

Her children have been portrayed in a number of her pieces but the model for Hannah was a friend's elementary- school-age daughter. ''Hannah was barefoot in her Sunday dress one day and I wanted to capture the beautiful image,'' she said. "It takes a lot of patience to work with a child model. I had to give her something to eat, drink and play with during our sessions. She couldn't stand still for very long."

Contact Bobbie Carlyle Personally

If you are interested in a piece that is not on the site you can email Bobbie or contact her by phone at: 970.622.0213 and she'll be happy to help. Bobbie welcomes commissions and will work with you directly to create the ideal piece.

Birth of the Self Made Man

Contact Bobbie Carlyle Personally

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