Making progress with the Madonna

My clay model of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament is making progress, although more slowly than I had hoped.

The main features and elements have been blocked in, and I will model Mary's head covering when I am nearer to its completion.

The clay I am using is new, and very wet which slows things down a bit, I will have to wait until some of the moisture has transpired before I can refine details.

(This wait has been compounded by a bout of flu, and all I could do was sit and dream for a while rather than get on with things!)
The photo on the right hand side of the model is of  "Our Lady of Good Success".
I used it as my inspiration for this model,  because legend has it that Our Lady chose the sculptor (Francisco del Castillo) for the work, and that it was completed by angels. Alas, its difficult at present to find good resources for this particular apparition,(as the story has been somewhat hi-jacked by the Pious X society to further their opinions.) None the less, the sufferings of Sister Mariana were in expiation for the Church and peoples of the 20th century.  
The reasons for the statue were given thus:

“First so that men in the future might realize how powerful I am in placating Divine Justice and obtaining mercy and pardon for every sinner who comes to me with a contrite heart. For I am the Mother of Mercy and in me there is only goodness and love.
When tribulations of spirit and sufferings of the body oppress them and they seem to be drowning in this bottomless sea let them gaze at my holy image and I will always be there ready to listen to their cries and soothe their pain.
​Tell them that they should always run to their Mother with confidence and love...”
(Wikipedia)

Our Lady's stated to Mariana, that she would be prioress of the convent until the end of time.!

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