User:Maxbeck73

Claudia Shanbaum, Sculptor and Artist

Biography / Artist Statement, March 1996

The great majority of people run through life seeking the elixir of personal and career fulfillment. Unfortunately, all too often they aimlessly drift dow3n many paths, looking in all directions, finding nothing, not even a shadow of success. Claudia Shanbaum, sculptor, is not one of these people. Her path is clear and her resolve is strong. Blessed with rare, inborn, creative gifts and an interminable will to succeed, she has burst for in the Los Angeles area as a new, fresh, and unique talent.

Born in Egypt, she spent her childhood years is Alexandria, Port Said, Meadi and Cairo. Three dimensional shapes of various sizes and forms, often seen in her surroundings, heavily contributed to the artistic impact on the psyche of the young Claudia.

The tranquility of childhood was soon to be shattered. War and political upheaval came to Egypt in 1956. Claudia, now ten years old, and her family were force to flee ten thousand miles into the exile of a strange land, Brazil, and a strange city, Rio de Janeiro. Gone were the familiar environs. Gone, too, were the sculptural shapes she had learned to love. But there remained within her this passion for the three dimensional art forms that no amount of personal chaos or crisis could destroy.

The teenage years were now upon her, for some they are a time of personal rebellion and confusion. For Claudia, they were a time of introspection and preparation. She asked herself: “Where am I going and what do I want to achieve?” She realized that wher3ever the road would lead; it would be lined on each side with the beloved sculptural forms of her childhood as signposts all pointing to a bright future. She longed to physically posses sculpture, but the poverty of exile would not permit such an extravagance, a strange phenomenon was now taking place. While sitting in the classroom, she subconsciously began carving ordinary blackboard chalk. The life force of creativity was now first being unleashed upon an ordinary piece of chalk. What joy and wonder this brought. “If I can’t buy sculpture, I’ll create my own.”

From the moment the family arrived in Brazil, their one unified goal was eventual immigration to the United States. They had hear of its beauty, democracy, and opportunity and wished to contribute their part as citizens. For ten years they waited until the word finally came that permission had been granted for them to succeed.

The American journey was now beginning, within a year of arrival, Claudia married Harold and together they raised four children. Balancing the burden and responsibility of raising a family with the desire to create sculpture, Claudia plunged full force into producing some of the fine pieces seen in this local arena. The pilot light of the creative force was lit in Brazil, on an insignificant piece of chalk, calcium carbonate. Now, here in California, the full flame of artistic expression was being kindled with energy and enthusiasm unmatched by those with half the family responsibilities.

To learn the basic production techniques involved in cast bronze, she attended various classes. The response to her presence was always the same. Many fellow students watched in amazement, and to be sure with some degree of envy, at the magnificent forms being produced effortlessly at Claudia’s workbench

Producing numerous outstanding sculpture pieces that have a captivating, mesmerizing effect of all who are fortunate to have seen their beauty up close and in person is standard fare for Claudia. A large retinue of work has now been completed. Pieces with names such as “Serenity[ ]”, “Fertility” “Emptiness”, “Desperation”, and “Inspiration” indicate the full gamut of emotions – emotion expressed in living, three dimensional arts that can only come with having lived through desperate times and having triumphed over all adversity. Claudia has said: "My work represents this triumph in all its aspects of development. My sculpture piece titled “Inspiration” is my guideline for my creative forces.”

Education University of Judaism Santa Monica City College Santa Monica City College Foundry Workshp Colegio Estadual Sousa Arguiar, Rio De Janeiro

Presentations Los Angeles Art Association Group Show Galleria Judaica, Los Angeles, CA Anaheim Hilton Gallery, Anaheim, CA Camden Drive Gallery, Beverly Hills, CA Numerous Private Collections

Prepared by:	David Langbaum, Artist Representative