Sarah
Hempel Irani
Hempel Studios
Design-sculpting-fabrication-installation. I work with clients to deliver high-quality original art created specifically for their space, their community, and their needs. I walk them through the concept, creation, and delivery of the work in bronze, marble, and plaster.
- Art & Craft
I create sculptures so that I may use my gifts and abilities to bring beauty into the world; and may it always point people to deeper contemplation of the Divine. As for the how, I work in a traditional method of creating sculptures: first in clay, then have them cast into bronze or plaster. In the case of marble, a plaster carver's model is sent to Pietrasanta to be carved in the traditional fashion, by hand in an Italian stone carving studio.
I walk my clients through each step from design through sculpting and fabrication to installation, often participating in fundraising and educational events. Creating a work of art designed to last for millennia can be a daunting task and I help my clients understand the process and work with them as I help them realize their vision.
My formal education includes a Master’s degree from Hood College Graduate School with a Concentration in Medieval and Renaissance Studies. I have been a Sculptor’s Assistant to Jay Hall Carpenter, former artist-in-residence at the Washington National Cathedral. I assisted with 12 sculptures for St Anne’s Church, Barrington, IL, and the Louis Goldstein Memorial, State of Maryland, Annapolis, MD. Prior to that, I earned my BA from Hillsdale College, graduating magna cum laude with a major in Fine Art and a minor in Classical Studies. While at Hillsdale College, I Studied sculpture with master sculptor Anthony Frudakis.
My most notable work is two larger-than-life Carrara marble sculptures of The Virgin Mary and St. Joseph at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Potomac, Maryland. Most recently, the Frederick Art Club has commissioned me to create a large outdoor bronze statue of fashion designer and Frederick native, Claire McCardell, to be installed in a city park in May 2021.
Master of Art: Hood College Graduate School, Frederick, MD, 2011
Concentration: Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Thesis: “Piero Della Francesca’s Misericordia Polyptych: Artist, Patron, and Community”
Advisor: Dr. Laurie Taylor-Mitchell
Bachelor of Arts: Hillsdale College, HIllsdale, MI, 2000
Major: Fine Art
Minor: Classical Studies