Sculptural Innovation by Welly Fletcher comes to life at ARTSLab

In an exploration of artistry and technology, sculpture faculty Welly Fletcher, delved into a whirlwind of creativity at ARTSLab this fall to make one of her new sculptures that would join her recent solo show “SLANT” at Richard Levy Gallery.

The journey began this summer (2023) with a handmade clay maquette of a lion head. Assisted by Art and Ecology MFA candidate Nancy Dewhurst, Fletcher captured the clay model using ARTSLab’s Artec Leo 3D scanner. The three-dimensional digital model was then scaled-up to print on ARTSLab’s large format Big Rep ONE 3D printer.

As the printer’s mechanical dance unfolded, layer by layer, the lion head grew to life in astounding dimensions. Ten days of ceaseless printing yielded a formidable final piece—a mesmerizing three-foot-long marvel weighing in at an impressive 14.5 Kg or 32 lbs.

This fusion of tradition and technology exemplifies the essence of the interdisciplinary exploration taking place at ARTSLab. Welly Fletcher’s final sculpture can be seen, along with other works, at Richard Levy Gallery at 514 Central Ave SW in downtown Albuquerque.

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Follow sculpture faculty Welly Fletcher on Instagram @wellyfletcher.