Director | Art + Design | Brand Marketing
Learn More About the Artist
It’s hard to comprehend a piece of artwork if you cannot comprehend the person or people who made it. Learn more below about the creators who make E.F. Fine Art what it is.
Estella Fransbergen
The artist, in her own words:
“In Celebration of the Human Form… I begin with simple clay and sculpt the torso using the coil building technique. The simplicity of the torso captures the essence of the soul. That, together with the primitive firing techniques of awdust and Raku, brings me back to my South African roots. The beauty of the colors in the clay is created by the intensity of the fire. Each torso comes from the fire with a uniqueness all its own. This element of surprise and individuality celebrates the human form.
In Celebration of Mother Nature… I “dress” the naked form of the torso to represent nature using feathers, branches, leaves, and gemstones. I use semi-precious and rare stones, formed over millions of years. Ancient science tells us that each stone has a symbolic meaning and our eyes detect the unique beauty of what lies within each.
My sculptures reflect my total life experience. Born and raised in South Africa, studied art in the Netherlands, I now reside in the heartland of the USA. These experiences have exposed me to cultural diversity and the beauty of nature.
My work is the expression of the human form… and the embodiment of beauty entwined with the powers of Nature.”
The Process
Raku is a traditional Japanese sculpture firing technique in which the clay pieces are taken from the kiln while they are still glowing red hot, then placed in a material that would be able to easily catch fire, such as sawdust or newspaper. It differs from normal firing, where the piece is removed from kiln after it’s cooled down slowly, and has a unique effect on the sculptures due to the lack of air allowed. This process starves the ceramics of oxygen, creating a wonderful variety of colors. Pieces with no glaze on them take the oxygen from the clay itself, meaning some areas will have a matte black coloring.
This unique process gives the pieces a distinctive look and color to their finish, both before and after glazing (if glazed), generating a purely elemental design that brings life to clay. Using different items means that each bust has its own life story to tell, and imbues them with personality and depth of character before anything else is tied into the piece itself.
Estella’s use of this style when firing her pieces means that each design has its own “fingerprint” before any other elements are added to the mix: the wires, the gemstones, and every bit of ornamental lighting are customized to fit the persona within the piece.
Watch the short video included about the process, and see for yourself how this decidedly special attention to every step of the process generates the sort of art that says more about your business than any words ever could.
The Finish
Different patinas and glazes, or a lack thereof, finish the story each of Estella’s works has to tell. Some pieces go completely “naked”, allowing for a clearer view of the character given to the clay via the Raku firing process: other pieces have finishes metal glazes or patinas that generate a smoothed and elegant look.
Ranging from 24-ct gold glazes to three different types of bronze patina – pearly white, traditional bronze, and highly polished bronze – the pieces range in color as well as look and feel, giving off energies that can stretch the spectrum from elegant and regal to naturalized earthen tones, and anywhere between.
Each choice in finishing touches gives the piece something distinctive to say. Combined with the firing techniques and the choices in stones, the variety of distinct choices assures that no two sculpted pieces are identical, and each one tells a unique and powerful tale. Each sculpture is its own special conversation with the viewer, conveying their ideals and values without a single word spoken.
Take a closer look at some of the examples, and let us know if a particular design speaks to you.
24 Carat Gold
Silver Plated Bronze
Raku
The Embellishments
The fine details that Estella uses to complete her sculptures are what take these pieces of art to a new level.
Her hand-selected materials include many items such as the Herkimer Diamond Brooch, Hand Crocheted Wire Dress, Wispy Wire Dress, Shoes with Inlaid Diamonds, and Cast Glass.
The rare and beautiful embellishments Estella selects for each sculpture are a key reason that her work has increased in value over the years. These details have made all of her work worthy of investment.
Some of Estella’s larger sculptures have been hand worked with over 2500 gemstones! Estella travels the world to find the perfect stones which has helped her develop a keen sense of quality for her investment pieces. This quality and attention to detail has helped Estella’s work become easy to both appraise and insure.
The Stones
Each design Estella creates has a heavy use of and focus on particular gemstones to tell a specific tale and give off a certain energy.
These stones are used in connection with the lighted pedestals to amplify the effects of each sculpture. The variation allows for each piece to make a wildly different statement, each one telling a custom tale that makes for a distinctive presentation every time.
In addition to using stones within the sculptures, Estella also makes bases for the sculptures out of stones. This can help give the sculpture a more natural feel while also being able to work well in environments that desire a more nature-oriented approach.
Each stone used in one of these sculptures has a specific meaning, and a historical significance behind its artistic application. Below, you will find a list of the main stones used in each of Estella’s sculptures, so you can better understand what each stone conveys and better determine which stone is the right fit for your own custom-made piece of artwork.
See samples of the stones below.
Blue Topaz
Blue Topaz is a stone of peacefulness, calming to the emotions, and ideal for meditation and connecting. It is a natural magnifier of thought, assisting those who wish to attune to inner guidance, as well as those who serve others.
Pearl
Pearls are symbolic of wisdom gained through experience. They are believed to offer protection, as well as attract good luck and wealth. It is also said that these gemstones are emblems of loyalty, generosity, integrity, and purity.
Amethyst
Amethyst is a stone of symbolizing protection and purification from harm, serving in may cultures as a “cleansing” stone. It is best known for amplifying positive energy and repelling harm.
Amber
Amber is a symbol of beauty and tenderness, a good-luck talisman for increasing natural radiance and attracting lasting love. It may be used for protection against negative outside influences and interference.
Opal
Opal is an emotional stone and reflects the moods of those who behold it. It intensifies emotions, releases inhibitions, and also encourages independence along with freedom. It stimulates originality and creativity.
Quartz
Quartz is considered the “master” of all other crystals – best known for its ability to amplify all other stones. Adding quartz to any piece gives more clarity, light, energy and depth to every other element that makes up the artwork.
Certificate of Authenticity
Each of Estella’s sculptures comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
