Botanic Gardens unveils sculpture
by KC Jones, reporter

    The Fort Worth Botanic Garden recently unveiled a new sculpture by Michael Pavlovsky, NW part-time sculpture and drawing instructor.

    The bronze piece, Birth of Love, is an esthetic combination of circular design and bas-relief. This contemporary piece of art is a romantic vision of a man and a woman surrounded by images of seashells, dolphins, birds and seahorses.

    Pavlovsky would like the public to understand the meaning behind the images.

    “It is a positive piece with feelings and aspects of life and love. It is a very constructive kind of an image conveying kindness and regeneration,” he said.

    Creating this sculpture was a unique opportunity for Pavlovsky because the committee gave him complete creative license on the project.

    “They went all over looking for a sculpture, but after looking at my previous work, they decided to commission me.

    “I had total creative latitude, no limitations on cost or size. It was a rare opportunity to create a large public piece of artwork for a specific place. It was a wonderful way to handle the project,” he said.

    A sculpture of this size takes a lot of effort and time, Pavlovsky said. The Botanic Garden commissioned Pavlovsky last summer.

    First, he interviewed with the committee in charge. They looked at his portfolio and asked him to produce an idea within one month. His idea was a large circle with male and female images.

    Because the sculpture was to be made of bronze, an original was first made of plastelene clay; that process took four months. Then, a local foundry, Bryant Art casting, went to his studio to make molds because the clay could not be moved.

    Then, Pavlovsky took the molds to the Shidoni Foundry in Santa Fe, N.M. It took another four months to finish the casting while Pavlovsky oversaw the finishing work. Once completed, the sculpture was transported back to its new home in Fort Worth. The Moncrief Endowment Fund paid for the sculpture.

    Originally from Dover, Del., Pavlovsky graduated from Texas A&M and has taught at TCC part-time since 1992.

    Individuals, organizations or institutions commission most of his sculptures. Working full time in his own studio, Pavlovsky Sculpure Studio, he does some private works for commercial galleries like Carol Henderson, which displays other smaller pieces.
“Since this is my first local public sculpture, I’m proud to have it displayed in my home base,” he said.