Sculptor making his mark
Leistra’s latest creation hard at work scaring Baywest visitors
FOR the last six years a Port Elizabeth artist has been giving life to his imagination through detailed sculptures of fantasy creatures and gaming models. But for the last few days one of Sjoerd Leistra’s latest creations has breathed life into a prehistoric creature that has captured the imagination of young and old visiting the Baywest mall.
The 2m tall, 6m long Ceratosaurus, currently standing outside the mall’s newly opened cinema, had hundreds of shoppers mesmerised as they walked past the vicious-looking reptile with its razor-sharp teeth.
Many children and adults stared in wonder at the creature’s detailed appearance and lifelike movements.
Working with Bayworld 3D display artist Marvin Carstens for the last five months, Leistra was able to complete the animatronic dinosaur in time for the opening of the IMAX theatre at Baywest, currently showing the dinosaur blockbuster Jurassic World.
“Me and Marvin started working together a few years ago, but for the last five months we have put everything into this project and it has truly culminated into the best work we have done together to date,” the former Alexander Road High School pupil said.
The sculpture weighs about 400kg and consists of a galvanised steel frame covered in high and low density foam with a layer of silicon and acrylic paint to show the finer details. Twelve-volt electric motors enable the tail, torso, neck and head to move.
Born and bred in Port Elizabeth, Leistra knew from a young age he wanted to become an artist, and started drawing.
His work followed his imagination and at the age of 16 he started working on his first sculptures. His portfolio has grown to include sculptures of fantasy creatures, like a unicorn, and figurines from popular tabletop war games like Warhammer .
“Art and sculpting are just something I have always had a passion for. I never did any kind of formal art studies, or attended any art schools, and everything I do is self-taught. Luckily in this profession your past work and portfolio is more important than any formal qualification.”
For the past three years he has done contract work for the Bayworld museum complex, working closely with Carstens on projects like the museum’s dinosaur and World War 1 exhibits.
“It has been really great working with a sculptor like Sjoerd. He has a lot of talent and passion for his art, and it is nice having assistance from someone who actually knows what he is doing. This meant we did not need to hire someone from elsewhere to do the work,” Carstens said.
He was looking forward to doing more projects with Leistra, which could include a sculpture of the 7m-tall Spinosaurus, opening a dinosaur park for public visits or a fully mobile dinosaur sculpture that was operated by a person inside it.
“The Baywest sculpture is a learning curve for both me and Sjoerd.
“An artist should constantly look for ways to better his craft, and I think Sjoerd has the potential to become truly great at the kind of work we do,” Carstens said.