Daphne Tengbergen's Saint John of the Cross
Daphne Tengbergen started her two-year Post Graduate Stone Carving Diploma in September 2007.
Stone Arriving at the School
She is currently working on a larger than life sculpture of the Spanish 16th century mystic Saint John of the Cross. The statue will represent the saint’s spiritual journey through the ‘Dark Night of the Soul’ and will be placed in the patio of a 200-years old Andalusian farm house – the Hacienda los Olivos, a holistic Christian retreat centre for individuals and groups (www.haciendalosolivos.org).
The stone was collected in Portland on 16 September 2008. It is over 5 tons and about 2 cubic meters. It was delivered to the School on 5 November 2008.
Her broad education and international background has given her a deep understanding of the cultural heritage of Western Europe and played a crucial role in her iconographic choices. She has lived in many European countries and is fluent in Spanish, French, Dutch and Italian. She has lived in Spain. She has a Masters Degree in History of Art and Archaeology (from Montpellier University, France).
She aims to carve a statue that encompasses a classic yet contemporary plastic vocabulary.
Daphne will present her carving at next year’s show together with a brief presentation about the whole project – the creative and technical processes as well as the practical ‘project management’ aspects.