A sculptor who captured her happiest family memories in art form after reaching a crossroads in her life is now inviting other people to do the same.
Charlotte Hern has launched Elefant Commissions to help people immortalise their most precious memories through art.
Clients can commission Ms Hern – or other local artists within the Commission – to create a piece of art which best represents their loved ones.
She’s inviting potential customers to get in touch with their ideas – whatever art form it might take.
The artist came up with the idea for the Commission after reaching a crossroads in her own life.
“It was just before my 40th birthday, my marriage had ended, and I’d moved into a new house with my two children,” she explained.
“One of my brothers asked me what I wanted for a birthday present, and after some thought what I wanted was to capture time. I liked the idea of capturing this in conversations and memories of our childhood.
She set up the idea for a video reminiscing with her siblings and mum. She enlisted the help of a videographer to record them talking, and then had it professionally edited into a precious archive. It proved the catalyst for setting up Elefant Commissions.
“Watching it back was very emotional – funny and touching – we were all in tears. We talked about our happy childhood, and my dad who is sadly no longer with us. It’s created a beautiful memory for us to treasure, when mum is gone and beyond that.
“To have something to remind me of my wonderful family is something so precious.”
She added: “I feel lucky to have this forever, and I’d like to give people the chance to do the same in whatever art form it might take.”
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And while she can offer her skills as a sculptor and model maker, she is also open to discuss commissions in other mediums through her network of talented artists.
Ms Hern trained as a model maker and worked for award-winning architectural sculptor Timothy Richards over two decades before setting up her own workshop.
Since launching Elefant, Charlotte has been commissioned to cast a bronze bust of a client’s father with representative images of his life engraved on its base, and is now looking to extend her work further.
Commissions are priced on application following a consultation with Charlotte via Elefant Commissions
