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Old 01-21-2007, 03:40 PM   #1
CKinSD
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lost interview with Gabe Perna

Well statueforum members this month’s interview is with the sculptor know as Lunchmin aka Gabe Perna. (www.toiletface.com).

To some people, Gabe is a relative newcomer to the sculpting scene having only been doing this for approximately 3 years now. Since he jumped into sculpting full time as a way of living, his name is getting tossed around by fans of his work. Typically the tossing is good, but like anything there are a few who do not get it.

I was introduced to Gabe by Devils Drifter some time ago and since then have found him to be a refreshing breath of air to the sculpting industry. Some of the folks I met over time have not been as open as Gabe is/was in answering questions about sculpting and molding etc. I think recently though more sculptors are assisting other newcomers and fans in understanding the art and work behind each sculpt. Gabe is one of those who never hesitates to share a tip or tidbit on how to do something.

It is not clear how to qualify Gabe right now. Professional or still Amateur. I only say amateur because of not having a sculpt out on the market YET from one of the big boys. Gabe did do the archangel mini bust with Randy Bowen and we are eagerly awaiting pictures of this. (Randy hint here) but until its release, some folks think he is not a pro yet. I would have to disagree with that assumption. Gabe is one of the hottest sculptors in the garage kit industry. His work has a style that you can say, "this is a Toilet Face creation"- but he can also really hit the standard style of characters, as seen by the Stewie sculpt he did.

(check out the toiletface website)

As you can see by the two pieces shown above, this man has some talent. Not only can he sculpt, he can actually draw some incredible 2d illustrations as well and drink coffee like a computer programmer. Take a close look at the galleries on the Toilet Face site. there is some really wild work in there worth seeing more than once.


Gabe’s personal Bio. (by Gabe)

“I was born and have lived all my life in upstate new york. The social and economic armpit known as Gloversville, to which I call home.
I'm a huge fan of meats and cheeses. I smoke way too much and I take my coffee like my vick's vapo-rub- hot and strong.
I'm married to an absolute goddess and extremely patient woman. I credit her with any good that may come of my career choice. In the beginning- I questioned if I should pursue sculpting as my path in life. feeling somewhat negative and saying to heck with the idea, I had decided to say bugger all and forget it- that is, until the wife put a potato in a tube sock threateningly and lurched over me, with a furrowed brow, stiffly pointed finger and said: "nonsense! You'll sculpt and that's the way it is, you chump! Now get on it!"
…and so it was and ever will be, for fear of physical violence from my darling wife and partner, Regina.
She's a fantastic cook, too.”


SF: Now to the questions and answers Gabe. You once told me the story behind the name toilet face. Would you be willing to share that with the folks?

Gabe: well, before we get into that- let me just take a second to say a HUGE thanks for including me in the interview section. I'm really honored that you guy wanted to chat it up with me for a while!

Anyhoo- toilet face. A friend and I were sitting around listening to this really awful Japanese punk band "guitar wolf". I say awful, but these guys are pure genius. They have at least a good 30 albums to their credit and each record can have anywhere from 15 to 50 tracks on it, with some songs as short as 40 seconds. The albums and track listings are hilarious, with names of songs like kung-fu ramone culmination tactic, planet of the war wolves and jet beer. Well, I came across a song called "toilet face" and just about lost it. I remember saying- "that's it! That's the name for the studio!". I figured with a name like that, I'd probably get more people to remember the name, over something like "le perna du clay studio", or gabe's house of sculpture fantastico.
…actually, that might have worked as well! Perhaps a bit too presumptuous, though… toilet face it is.
So there you have it- The mighty origin of my studio's moniker.

SF: Since you are by some still a newcomer in the industry to you have any advice to the new folks just starting out on what has worked or not worked during your hunt to sculpt?


Gabe: honestly- a big part of me wants to tell people to forget your personal desires and generate a portfolio just beaming full of the mainstream standard. I've been told by more than a few, that if were to just concede to this ideal, I'd see much more work. Instead- I'm the ninny who thinks it's cooler to make twisted and improbable things for my own benefit and expression.
I'm still just astounded that the cable company won't let me pay my bill in garage kits. I mean…Where the heck to they get off???

… but I gotta tell ya- someday, somewhere, someone's gonna need a sculpt that has 3 breasts, 47 ribs and impossible posture, decorated with toothpaste caps and wood screws and they're gonna be running around the office wondering what hell they're gonna do about it and who in sam's name would even want to tackle the absurdity.
I'll be there waiting for the call- but at that point, I'll tell them they'll have to call me back after I'm done with my sandwich… hehehe…
Seriously though- I have absolutely no idea what to tell people, really. I certainly can't consider myself a "success" yet. I'm not sure when I will, really.
I suppose what it comes down to is, considering your deepest needs. Do you need to 100% express your own, unadulterated vision? Do you need a paycheck? Or are you somewhere in between? once you figure that out, I think a lot of things will fall into place somewhere or another. I've seen a lot of things happen in this industry and I can honestly say that anything can happen and some things are never out of the realm of possibility.



SF: what was the first sculpt you did that was picked up by a garage kit producer? Since that first sculpt that was produced what have you tried to change if anything in how you sculpt a piece?

Gabe:
The first piece was the bust of thanos, held aloft by the mighty infinity gauntlet!
Recently, I've really taken a hard look at the sculpts I've generated since that bust and came to the conclusion that pretty much everything as of late, has not exactly been what I'm going for. A lot of those sculpts in my opinion, are kinda middle of the road, in terms of design and execution.
When I first started sculpting, I decided that I wanted to sculpt just exactly as I used to draw- typically screwy and strangely proportioned, feasibly unsound.
Then I got a kit put out and steadily started to think about what people may want to buy, rather than getting all nutty with the design. I never really felt like I was trying to mimic the standard, but certainly was not going haywire like I feel I should.
So the realization I came to was- I still won't try and compete with the real talents out there. There are folks out there that can nail gritty realism and fine detail that I'll just never arrive at- I figure what's the frikkin' point? Instead, I'll continue to sculpt as I have for whomever wants me to, but on the sidelines, I'm going to put out some pieces that are completely from my own vision, regardless of if they'll sell or not. I think my only real strength is my design element, so I'll go bloody nuts with it and see what comes, having a good time all the way.
Did I go off point? I guess I kinda forgot where I was.
So ANYway, there I was- in a seedy hotel, drunk on thunderbird wine…



SF: In your portfolio you have some pretty wild stuff to say the least. What piece in there do you want to make the most? This is something that has not been picked up/molded/kitted by anyone?



Gabe:
I swear charles… if this is another way for you to hound me about that nightcrawler bust, I'm gonna yarf… all over it! HAW!
Honestly- I think everything that I've done that has been produced in some fashion, is all that needs to be produced (for good reasons. A lot of the real early pieces should NEVER see the light of day! Some that probably shouldn't have, either!) There are some sculpts that I have done, or yet to finish that I just assume keep that way- for my greedy little self. Actually, I haven't sculpted anything solely for myself since the beginning. I think that there are only perhaps 4-5 things that have not been cast.
There's this one piece I started… a 1/3 scale venom head, that I think I'll hog for my self as my next only for ME piece… hehehe.
Ya know I love ya, charles! I'm just kidding!



SF: This is a question I do not think we have actually asked before in our series of interviews. When starting out sketching a piece you are going to sculpt do you have to think about molding and cutting the statue apart immediately so that you do not go overboard so to speak?

Gabe:
Well- first of all, I try and live by one cardinal rule, if any: I never will sacrifice design for need of molding. Going overboard is a must. You can always cut a sculpt into as many pieces as need be, to get it molded.
I do however, a lot of pre-engineering. As much as I can really, to make the deconstruction of a sculpt more efficient and to hopefully provide the best part fit possible. I feel that this is a real big deal, especially when my clients stand by their choice to hire me- I do my best to make the best kit I can for them (this does not include a recent piece that I did for myself and made a mess of, while sculpting, molding and casting a piece all at the same time- over the course of 3 days, with about 12 minutes of sleep. The part fit was a bloody shame!).



SF: with all the different types of sculpting medium, SS, castilene etc. what do you prefer to work in? Why?

Gabe:
I suppose I should say that it's all subjective- but my preference is super sculpey. It's "clay" after all- and has a certain feel and flow to it.
If a client needs a certain effect or the tightening of detail or tweaking of things, I'll cast it in toy wax (word up, Ralph! Your wax RULES!!!) and finish that way.
I see castilene as a frikkin' waste of time. It's fiendishly a deceptive medium. It likes to hide mistakes and takes way too long and way too much elbow grease to start a sculpt and bring it to finish with the stuff.
I can start a piece in sculpey, make any and all changes the client may want then mold it, cast it in wax and tweak further to the point of finish- all quicker than I could start a sculpt and finish it in castilene. I see it as a middle man kind of thing. Some, but not all of the benefits of both sculpey and toy wax, but having and blowing way out of proportion, the weak points of those mediums.
To those that can use it, love to use it and can provide ultra clean and quick results- my hat's off to ya. You've obviously the patience of a saint and skill beyond skill.
…and I loathe you all.


SF: What is your favorite character to sculpt and why????
(if sculpted get picture for here) Charles- Here's some links to pics for this:

http://www.toiletface.com/files/devilman7.jpg

http://www.toiletface.com/dm1.jpg

http://www.toiletface.com/dm2.jpg

Gabe:
My choice has to be nightcrawler.
His overall design is just great. I love the idea of pointy ears and the midnight-ish blue skin/fur.
I can't get enough of the tail and how articulate it is, too. I mean- how handy would it be if you didn't have to get off the couch to reach the remote on the coffee table? The ramifications of something like that are just astounding!



SF: now this is a more personal question. At wonderfest last year I watched you eat the most I’ve seen a person of your size ever eat. Have you ever thought of taking on the Japanese guy in the hot dog eating contest??????


Gabe:
Beef is a way of life for me, my friend. In many ways, I feel it actually transcends ideals like hunger, preference or taste- and just comes over me like a guttural need. I'll eat a steak like it's my job, yo… and I'm not a large man by any means (although these past few years of sitting in a chair all day has given me a 7 pound gut where mr.flat used to live)- but if I smell meat cooking, my thighs transform into auxiliary stomachs and I go to town.
Never hot dogs, though. You tell that guy I'll not defile my mouth with cow lips and bunghole on a bun- but if he wants to go to work on some porterhouse gluttony- I'll take his arse to school.



SF: Now Gabe this is one for your lovely wife Gina. Gina how is it living with a mad genius sculptor???? As the spouse is there anything you can say perhaps to other spouses about this sculpting thing, that these folks seem to be addicted to? Something like keep them from baking sculpts in the oven?????

Gina conked out while I was finishing this- I'll bug her to answer this tomorrow, but I figured I'd get my end finished and sent to you, so you can get rolling with and whatnot. Sorry!!!

Gina: she was working to feed the monster we know as lunchmin and did not have time to answer for us 



SF: If you where not sculpting what do you think you would be doing?

Gabe:
I'd have to say 2d artwork. It was my first love and that just makes sense to me.
I still sketch every now and then- but not like I used to, all fevered and gung ho for the comic pages. When I draw now, it's a lot more "free" (and fun, consequently!).

SF: Gabe what is the most bizarre item you have torn apart and used on a sculpt. We know you like to use things at hand. Kdawg is wondering what is the most bizarre?

Gabe:
Well, I'd have to say- when I was sculpting that lobo kit, I used a tampon applicator for the housing of the gun barrels. It was perfect! Super glue stuck to it fantastically and the sculpey baked onto it like a dream. Plus- when I was done with the barrels part, it fit perfectly into the opposite half, which was the armature for the gun's main body.
Yeah… I couldn't have found anything better if I had tried!

SF: What is your favorite non marvel and non DC character you like to sculpt, or would want to sculpt?

Gabe:
Straight up, hands down, always and forever- DEVILMAN.
I absolutely love this character. I've finished one (a bust) and have a 1/2 scale bust in progress as well as a full figure and can honestly say I'll sculpt this bad@ss at least 20 times before I kick off.
He's just so darn cool and grimy. I can think of tons of different ways to handle his design and still want to continue on to do it again.
There's just something about devils, wings and evil grins that really do it for me.


SF: Paper of plastic? Drod needs to know.


Gabe:
Plastic all the way. Yeah, I know it's probably the wrong choice- but your wife won't yell at you and say you're gonna choke to death, if you put a paper bag over your head (It's fun to run around the house, ripping my noggin through a good supermarket bag pretending like I'm breaching the womb).

SF: one last question from me. How can I get Gina to cook some of this mac and cheese I’ve heard so much about????

Gabe:
Rumor has it that she'll accept diamonds and cashmere underwear in trade.
…or you could come stay with us for a spell and she'll fill you right full of the stuff thrice nights in a row!




SF: Well Gabe I must say thanks to you for taking time out of your day to speak with us and show us some of your works. I only wish the best for you in your career and will be buying more of your work as it becomes available as will many others.

Now get to sculpting man! See you at SDCC this year.

Gabe:
Charles and the rest of you guys- I gotta say thanks LOADS! It was a huge honor for me and fun to boot! I can't think of a better way to spend some time. Thanks as always, for your continued support and seemingly endless patience with my lateness, as well as the limitless votes of confidence!
Here's to the statueforum and all the great folk who visit it!
Catch you in cali, my man!
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