Creativity in Bronze Sculpture

January 2021

Greetings Everyone and a Very Happy New Year to All,

Bronze sculpture is my passion because I love to create in three dimensions and because it is a direct, hands-on medium.

I start the bronze sculpture process by constructing simple plumbing parts and attaching them to a wood board for stability. I use bendable wire attached to these plumbing parts to form the skeleton of the form, bending and twisting it until I achieve the action I wish to portray. Using this homemade system, I can construct the basis for any form, animal, figurative or any free form sculpture that my imagination dictates.

Over this armature I build up layers of oil-based clay, again, directly with my fingers, as I constantly turn my board to view my work from every angle. I use wood or metal sculpture tools mainly in the finishing stages.

After I make the clay model, converting it into a bronze is a collaborative project between me, as artist, and my foundry.

What is involved in producing a bronze sculpture?

The very simplest explanation is that the process involves three positives going from my clay model to wax to bronze. We make a mold between each of these positives. The first mold, made around my clay sculpture is the “mother mold.” We call it that because it can be used for making further editions, that is to say it will be saved. It has a latex lining and can be opened and closed. We pour hot wax into the mold and this wax becomes the second positive.

After removing the wax from the mold, I correct seam lines made by the mold and any tiny air bubbles. Next, Glenn creates the second mold, called the ceramic shell, around the wax.  Then we burn wax out in the kiln—hence the term “lost- wax”—and the mold is ready for the bronze. I love to be present on bronze pour day! It is spectacular to watch the bright orange, hot, molten bronze flow into the mold. When the bronze has cooled, usually the next day, I crack off and destroy the ceramic shell to reveal the bronze sculpture.

After cleaning it up with glass beads and a dremel tool, the sculpture is ready to accept a patina. To achieve that, I heat the bronze with a blow torch and apply a chemical with a brush. Depending upon the amount of heat applied and the type of chemical, I can achieve various colors, mainly browns, greens or blues. As a final step, we mount the sculpture on a base. Living in Vermont, I generally use indigenous stone bases. Bronze is a semi-precious material, which furthermore has become somewhat scarce. An art bronze is a good investment that increases in value and will endure to be passed down many generations.

Watch It Happen

Years ago, my friend, Cynthia Baldwin, of Brattleboro, Vermont, produced a video which follows me through the stages of producing a bronze moose through the ancient “lost wax” method. We filmed it at a foundry in Pittsfield, Ma. At that time, I was using two foundries. Now I work exclusively in Rutland, Vermont at Campbell Plaster and Iron. My collaboration with Glenn Campbell spans thirty years. He is a talented Rhode Island School of Design graduate.

With this background, I invite you to watch my video of making the bronze moose found on my home page. I hope you enjoy it!

A Book I Highly Recommend!

In December, my husband, Marshall, had his poetry book, My Mind’s Eye, published by The Poetry Box in Portland, Oregon. I had the pleasure of illustrating the book with simple ink drawings as well as creating the cover drawing. The cover design is a simple skull and eye in the form of a reverse question mark, inspired by the discerning eye and mind of my poet husband. His poetry is getting the rave reviews it deserves.  If you wish to order it, please click the button.