Coming into Focus

I've been focusing in on the portraits, hands, feet, and the robe the last few weeks. It is currently within a few days of being done!!Below is what has been going on behind the scenes sculpting St. Anthony & Child.

(Commissioned for St Anthony Hospital's main lobby)

(St Anthony & Child have wet rags on their heads to keep them cool in the summer heat)

SEE More Photos....

Working on the portrait of St. Anthony. I'm really concentrating since I have limited time with my model.

(there is a box built around his feet for protection since they are nearly finished and I drop clay everywhere when I am working...)

(St. Anthony's head is designed to come off so he can come out of my studio. The armature is visible here in his neck but not for long.)

I am working on the Child's portrait. My little model Owen (of 2 yrs) is sitting in a chair near by for a quick view of his eyes. He has grown a lot in the last few months into less a baby and more little boy, so I have to use old measurements, pictures to go for what I want. His spirit of wonderment and sweet curiosity remains the same. He watches 'milo & Otis', "Land Before Time', and his parents read him books to keep him seated or within view of my quick sculpting hand!!

A view of St. Anthony & Child on a late summer evening.

Hospital Site Visit

I visited the location (on July 10th)  of where St. Anthony & Child will go in the main lobby .It is so exciting to see where they are at in the construction of the hospital...

(the sculpture is going where you see the white buckets)

St. Anthony & Child will have a great view of all the visitors and get plenty of day light. The windows aren't in yet on the far wall, but they will be in soon.

Maquette at the Foundry

I really enjoy this part of the sculpture process. It is the icing on the cake after many many hours of work, and once the bronze sculpture gets that patina all that remains is installation or mounting. Below are a few pictures of the maquette (1/4 life size standing 18" tall) getting a traditional patina (consisting of blacks & browns). A patina takes the bronze piece which is a gold color, and changes the color by use of chemicals that are applied when the piece is cold or hot. If the piece does not get a patina it will change colors by exposure to the outdoors and air similar to copper.

The pieces are getting spun on a sculpture stand as he (Mike at the Bronze Works Foundry) takes a torch working on heat consistency throughout the whole piece. It can be really difficult to get the arms of the child to remain at the same temperature as the robe. Once it has reached the right temperature the pieces are sprayed with ferrous sulfate. I comment on what places I think need more or less color. I particularly like rubbing the spots that I want to stand out with a skotchbrite pad like the child's feet. Certain areas tend to get too dark so it is really important to pay attention to every area. If something gets missed and it can't be fixed then the piece has to get sandblasted and started over with.

Now the wax is applied when it is hot! (sculpture on left) Once the piece is cooled a harder wax is applied and buffed.