1- IDEA

It all begins with an idea. And those come from an almost infinite variety of places. I see a photo. I watch a movie. I read a book. I go back packing or fly fishing. I encounter a moving or inspiring experience and I want to capture its essence in bronze.

2 - ARMATURE

Next is to build an armature. That’s the substructure upon which clay is applied. It usually consists of pipes, rods, wire, and assorted other nuts and bolts to hold it all together. I even use strips of old bike tire tubes to strap it all together when necessary.

3 - CLAY

Then it is time to start applying clay. There are generally two types of clay and artists usually have a favorite. I currently work with oil-based clay as my sculpting sessions are often interrupted by long stretches of time before I can get back to the studio.

4 - NAME

Somewhere along the way, I am inspired with a name for the piece. I favor more metaphorical or inspirational titles for my work; something that might capture the essence of the sculpture in a few words.

5 - FOUNDRY

Once the piece in finished to my satisfaction, the hard work of bringing it to completion is just getting started. Next it is off to the foundry where numerous craftsman - artists in their own right - make wax molds, pour molten bronze, sandblast raw metal, weld together separated pieces, hammer, drill, hammer and weld some more. And then another artist finishes the piece with the fascinating art of applying the chosen patina with a blend of chemicals and open flame. 

I love to be at the foundry. It is a rough and tumble world of fascinating individuals with unique skills. Together they forge a finished work of bronze through a very elaborate and specialize process as a team of talented craftsmen with calloused hands and ample doses of brawn.

6 - BRONZE

When all is said and done, a new bronze sculpture finds its way back to the same studio where it began as raw clay. I often find myself standing in my studio admiring the finished piece. There is something truly fulfilling to look at a sculpture you created – your name etched there in bronze – and knowing all that went into creating it. In some strange way it is a part of you; an artistic creation having come from within you.When I have the privilege of sharing it with a client who wants one for themselves in a place where they will enjoy it for years to come, I feel something that is truly hard to describe. Whatever the words are, it is a pretty special sense of fulfillment.