Paraguay - Marcos Antonio Martínez is a sculptor who has gained significant popularity on social media for his intricate replicas of superheroes and animals made from ceramics. He stated that he teaches students as an art teacher in the morning and spends his afternoons bringing to life realistic sculptures based on photos of pets or heroic figures sent by clients.

Originally from Villarrica, Martínez has resided in Capiatá since 2000. He started a sculpture business with various forms in 2020 during the pandemic, and it was the pet replicas that particularly captured people's hearts, as they conveyed the affection and longing for pets who are like family.

"I have always loved art. As an art teacher, I studied various art courses such as sculpture and drawing, and I felt a great passion for it," said Martínez.

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During the pandemic, he proposed to his wife that they start a business creating and selling sculptures from home. Initially, they began with superhero character statues, but gradually, orders for sculptures of celebrities such as singers and actors increased, leading the whole family to become involved in creating artwork.

"As I spent more time at home due to online classes, my family and I often watched videos on YouTube about making sculptures from clay and other materials. I had learned sculpture 22 years ago but hadn't worked in this field since. I felt the urge to try sculpting again and talked to my wife and son about it," he added.

Martínez has also created several symbolic sculptures, including a soldier holding the flag for the Paraguayan cavalry, his first work, a Templar knight, a phoenix, and a white owl for a domestic Harry Potter-themed lodging.

He recalled that the sculpture production process was a significant challenge during the pandemic because the lockdown measures prohibited the use of ceramic kilns, forcing them to dry the sculptures in other ways.

Unique Technique: The Meeting of Clay and Wood Glue

"After deciding to make sculptures, I started buying materials like clay from a store near my house. Since no ceramic kilns could be used due to the pandemic, we decided to harden the sculptures with the wood glue we had. That's how my sculptures were created with the unique and special materials of clay and wood glue," Martínez emphasized.

Pet Sculptures: Delivering Deep Emotion

The first pet replica he created was of a German Shepherd. He mentioned that he decided to focus on this field after seeing the customer's moving reaction.

"A retired police chief ordered a sculpture of his German Shepherd, and when he saw the finished piece, he cried, missing his deceased dog. At that moment, we realized that what we do is not just a simple job but something that evokes deep emotions and memories for people. From that moment on, our whole family made a promise to do our best to help customers remember their precious friends," he concluded.

Martínez's sculptures are available for purchase starting from 300,000 guaraníes, and orders can be placed by contacting (0985) 659-649.

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