A visiting German photographer, Ralf Kopp, has superbly captured an image of Marilyn Hodgson’s powerful portrait “The Firedancer”. Photographed during the first sitting, this ongoing work is one of the four portraits Scottish sculptor Marilyn has in progress during the four weekends of the Malta Arts Festival – Summer 2006.

The live portraiture work in clay can be viewed in Freedom Square, where the sculptor’s development of clay modelling can be followed today from 8 to 10pm. Marilyn’s enigmatic models include her daughter, dancer Wendy, poet Erika Brincat, teacher Pinar Ozhal, and artist Cecil Jones.

During the Arts Festival’s last weekend, Marilyn will focus on a demonstration of plaster mould making, preparing mould for a later final casting in bronze “cold cast artisanal method”.

Marilyn would particularly like to thank Charles Darmanin, a specialist in wrought ironwork, for his kind assistance in the construction of “armatures”. She also would like to thank the number of friendly visitors, especially the many children who stopped to chat with her and the models.