“Honestly I couldn't believe it when they reached out to me about this and I was extremely honored.” — Clay Wooten, sculptor

Artist Clay Wooten pictured with his sculpture, “Her Heart,” honoring our late friend, artist, gallerist, and arts advocate, Anastasia Chernoff

Last week, One Columbia for Arts and Culture announced the completion and installation on Senate Street in the Congaree Vista of the latest piece of public art to punctuate the landscape of Columbia, SC.

“Her Heart” is a metal wire sculpture of a human heart, designed and created by Clay Wooten to honor the late Anastasia Chernoff, who died in 2016 after an extensive battle with cancer. Anastasia was an artist who used her gallery space on Main Street, Anastasia and Friends, to sometimes show her own quirky and imaginative sculptures, but primarily to exhibit the work of artists friends, old and new.

Wooten was selected by Chernoff’s family to design and create the memorial which was funded through contributions from family and friends.

According to One Columbia, the organization “provided administrative support in accepting contributions and working with family members and close friends to assist in the selection and installation of the piece.”

While everyone looks forward to the opportunity to gather together to welcome the art to the city in an official celebration and dedication, the Jasper Project wanted to take a moment to chat with sculptor Clayton Wooten and get some inside information on the creation of this important and moving work.

Here we go —

Jasper: Hi Clay, thanks for talking to Jasper, and thanks for adding another interest point to the growing collection of public art in Columbia. This piece is special to so many of us because it honors our late beloved friend and colleague, Anastasia Chernoff. What can you tell us about your relationship with Anastasia?

Wooten: My relationship with Anastasia started when her daughter Lauren (Melton) and I became friends back in 2010. I would go to dinner parties at her house, she was always welcoming friends into her home. The amount of amazing art she had really blew me away. I met a lot of creative people at these parties. She then asked me to exhibit some of my paintings in her gallery and of course that was an honor in itself.

Jasper: How did it feel to be the artist selected to honor someone so beloved by her community?

Wooten: Honestly I couldn't believe it when they reached out to me about this and I was extremely honored. I felt excited and nervous at the same time, I knew that I would have to create a piece that represented her contributions to the art community in Columbia.

Jasper: Tell us about how you arrived at the concept of your sculpture. Did you receive direction from Anastasia’s family, One Columbia, or the Vista Guild, or were you able to approach the project carte blanc?

Wooten: The first time I met with the committee, they explained to me that I would have complete artistic freedom. I sat down and thought about Anastasia and came up with three or four concepts. When I presented the sketches to the group a unanimous decision was reached almost immediately. I then created a small scale model of the sculpture that was used to drum up interest in the last show held at Anastasia and friend’s gallery.

Jasper: Can you share some of the specifics of the piece with us? Like – how long did you work on it? How large is it? How much does it weigh? What is the material?

Wooten: The heart is made of 1/4 inch steel rod. I used a number of different methods to bend the rods but ultimately ended up using my hands and some elbow grease to get the shape I wanted. I worked on it for several months on and off. It took longer than I thought but in the end i'm very happy with the finished product. It stands over 12 feet tall and 9 feet wide, weighing around 150 pounds and that does not include the two large stands that connect to the sides.

Jasper: How did you arrive at painting the piece with sparkling lavender? Is the color representative?

Wooten: The sculpture is actually powder coated in that sparkling lavender color, thanks to the guys over at the Stuyck company. The committee wanted to go with a lavender because it was Anastasia’s favorite and we thought it would blend well with the natural greens surrounding the location.

Jasper: What kind of upkeep of the sculpture require? Is it malleable at all? Will it change with age and weathering?

Wooten: I'm hoping the sculpture will last forever! I'm sure it will see some discoloring and rust over the years but it will not need much maintenance.

Jasper: I know the pandemic has kept us from celebrating the official unveiling of the sculpture, but we hope to be able to come together to celebrate your art and all the visions Anastasia left us with soon. Are there any plans for this yet?

Wooten: We are still waiting to see how all this plays out and have not planned the official unveiling.

Jasper: Where can we see more of your work and what’s your next project?

Wooten: I build and design exhibits at EdVenture Children's Museum as a full time job so you can see some of my work there. I also have a woodworking instagram @spruce_creations along with my art page @wooo10_art.

Thanks Clay!

By Cindi Boiter

Cindi Boiter is the editor of Jasper and the founder and ED of the The Jasper Project. To support the work of Jasper, including articles like the one above, please consider becoming a member of the Jasper Guild at www.JasperProject.org

Anastasia Chernoff, photo credit unknwon