Sanders Black’s Artist Sudio on the Okatie

On a recent January afternoon, I had the opportunity to visit the studio of a sculptor with the wonderful name of Sanders Black. His art fits his name, unique, smart, straightforward. He has the vision and is mastering the techniques required to make durable art to grace the outdoor spaces of Lowcountry homes.

Sanders creates his art at the Smoking Bird Studio, overlooking the Okatie River. The working areas include a cozy studio, warmed on this day by a wood-burning stove, surrounded by shelves of tools and materials needed to make all kinds of sculpture. Its windows, running the length of the small building, overlook a spacious, tiered deck, with the tides providing a constantly changing view. Much of the work is done outdoors, with the river’s breezes acting as nature’s ventilation.

Sanders is a protégé of the studio’s talented Wally Palmer, learning many of Wally’s sculpting skills and applying them to his own unique art. Sanders comes to the studio most days to build, mold, pour, grind, sand and paint his sculptures. He has created two large relief sculptures of a very realistic-looking mahi mahi and yellowfin tuna made out of a combination of foam, Bondo, resin and fiberglass. He then has made a mold of silicone which, after curing, can be used for repeated resin castings. Next, he pours a liquid resin material into the molds to create the pieces. After they are successfully poured, dried and removed from the silicone molds, the process of “cleaning up” happens, sanding and grinding, to achieve a desired texture. He then applies the paint in layers to mimic the fish’s shimmering scales and fins, resulting in beautiful relief sculptures of these glorious fish.

But not all of Sanders’ sculptures are created in this manner. He also builds one-off freestanding pieces, sometimes making armatures of wire and recycled foam, then dipping or otherwise coating them with fiberglass and/or resin. In the works is an enormous lizard that can be hung on a wall or fence, sure to be a focal point and conversation piece. It is now waiting for its final, important step — paint.

Sanders has a seven-foot hammerhead shark on display in the La Petite Gallerie garden in downtown Bluffton, created in the same manner. Look forward to seeing what this creative mind comes up with next.

Sanders has been making art of one sort or another for most of his 36 years. He studied printmaking at USCB, using this skill to carve detailed animals into linoleum blocks, which are then inked and used to make beautiful prints.

He recently acquired a hand press, which he hopes to put into use soon. Sanders also delves into photography as an art form. He experiments with a macro lens and a special microscope, expanding his art in even more directions. His photography skills show his artist’s eye in a whole different light.

On this studio visit, however, we are talking sculpture his latest love. Indeed, surrounded by his pieces in the works, it’s easy to see that Sanders is an artist with a lot to share.

The beauty of the Smoking Bird Studio is that each of the artists has their own expertise and artistic perspective that they share willingly with one another. Wally Palmer and painter Denise Pope are the more seasoned artists there, and they, along with Sanders, are willing to talk about their unique viewpoints and knowledge with the errant visitor.

Sanders’ sculpture can be seen in La Petite Gallerie’s garden, open every day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. He works there on Sundays, so you can meet him and talk art in person with this talented sculptor.

Murray Sease is an artist at La Petite Gallerie, 56 Calhoun Street, Bluffton, SC. lapetitegallerie.com