The Lynn Forbes School of Sculpture

A leader among schools, the Lynn Forbes School of Sculpture is a serious, world-class sculpture studio that stresses the fundamentals of Classical Greek sculptors. 

While the basis for understanding form and technique is grounded in the great masters of classical art, the methodology adds unique, modern twists that help students more effectively achieve profound results.

Who We Are  

 Lynn Forbes

A visit to Paris in 2001 sparked an intense interest in ancient Greek sculpture—igniting a passion that now consumes sculptor Lynn Forbes’ life. An intensive, self directed course of study, focusing on the sculpture of past masters, anatomy and practical experience, resulted in a body of work in ceramic clay and bronze that was immediately recognized by the art world and resulted in acceptance by the Lu Martin Galleries in Laguna Beach within her first two years of discovering the art form.

Today her work--a combination of traditional forms and contemporary ideas--can be seen at La Botegga Dell’Aquaforte gallery in Laguna Beach and the Lynn Forbes Gallery in Carlsbad. She also exhibits and performs sculpture demonstrations throughout Southern California in addition to teaching at her school in Carlsbad, CA.

"When I first saw the sculpture in the Louvre, I walked around it in circles weeping for beauty! The work of those ancient masters struck a chord so deep, I knew then that this would be my future."

Lynn lives with her husband, Dr. Ralph Muncaster. As an avid student of sculpture, he has won several awards.

Our Philosophy

Like learning to play the violin, it is essential to master the fundamentals of the art form in order to successfully express creativity to the fullest estent.

In other words, in the same way that a violinist must practice "scales" and other exercises for many years, the sculptor too, must learn and practice fundamental techniques that lead to beautiful, harmonius forms. 

The Greeks were the first to master the balance and fluid, spiral planes of the human form in the classical (510-323 BC) and Helenistic (323-149 BC) periods.  Discoveries of the Greeks in anatomy, form and harmony were obvious as can be seen below; with a comparison of Greek and Egyptian sculpture from a similar period.

Sculptors ever since the time of the Greek classicists have attempted to at first mimic, and later build upon, the classical style.  Examples can be seen in many of the great works of the Renaissance period.

Baroque and Neo-Classicists

As sculpture continued to evolve, the greatest sculptors, like Bernini, Carpeaux, Pradier and Canova, continued to develop--even accentuate to a degree--the beautiful form discovered by the original Greek classicists.

Sculptors Auguste Rodin and Medino Rosso have attempted to take classical sculpture into the modern age by making somewhat provocative statements in the subject matter.

Lynn Forbes stresses first developing a mastery of the fundamental skills and techniques of shaping clay into a realistic, balanced, and anatomically correct form.  At the same time, a sense of proportion and beauty created naturally by the flow of the figure and pose is taught.  Finally, extending the artistically pleasing form into a work of art that makes a statement is emphasized throughout instruction.