An email was sent to UCS, informing us about Lost Wax Bronze Casting Lessons at Butley Mills Studio’s and Kathryn and I decided to make the most of this opportunity.
It involved mold making, wax preparation, investing, bronze pouring and patina’s.
The process proved to be an intricate and time consuming one, which we both greatly enjoyed, under the excellent tuition of Alice Ewing and Freddy Morris who are apprentices to sculptor Laurence Edwards.
By the end of the experience, we had a real appreciation of why bronze sculptures are so valued and so expensive.
During my research I looked at the work of Constantin Brancusui, and Barbara Hepworth,
Constantin Brancusi:
Portrait of Mademoiselle Pogany [1] (1912):
Media: White Marble: Limestone Block.
Dimensions: Sculpture: 44.4 x 21 x 31.4cm:
Base: 15.2 x 16.2 x 17.8 cm
Location: Philadelphia Museum of Art
Image available at:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=brancusi+sculpture+miss+pogany
Constantin Brancusl: Danaide: (1918)
Media: Bronze on limestone base
Dimensions: 279 x 171 x 210mm
Location: Tate Collection
Image available at:
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/brancusi-danaide-t00296
I like the abstract nature of these two sculptures, by Brancusi, but I want my figures to have whole bodies and no facial features, not even abstract ones.
Barbara Hepworth: Standing Figure: (1929 – 1930)
Media: Teak
Dimensions: No dimensions available
Location: Private collection
Image available at:
http://barbarahepworth.org.uk/sculptures/1930/standing-figure/
Barbara Hepworth:
Infant: (1929)
Media: Burmese wood
Dimensions: 438 x 273 x 254mm
Location: Tate Collection
Image available at:
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/hepworth-infant-t03129
The way the light reflects from the smooth surfaces of the two previous sculptures makes me want to reach out and touch them, they are very tactile.
My research also included contemporary sculptors.
Shray: Balance: ( Date unknown)
Media: Bronze edition of 20
Dimensions: 60″ x 18″ x 18″
Location: Unknown
Image available at:
http://www.shraybronze.com/the-artist-statement.html
I like the simple curves of this sculpture, this is what I want for my own sculptures – simple lines.
The following image is a Shona sculpture from Zimbabwe, carved out of serpentine stone.
S. Jamali: No Title: No Date
Media: Serpentine Stone
Dimensions: 6.5 x 7 x 10.5 inches
Location: Unknown
Image available at:
http://www.africanimportart.com/shonasculpturepeople.aspx?page=2
This sculpture makes me think of despair, which is the emotion I want to portray in one of my sculptures. I have decided to make three, Despair, Hope and Joy, three aspects of the journey from victim to survivor.
The following image is a sculpture of hope.
Laura Lian: Child of Hope: (2013)
Media: Bronze
Dimensions: 70x 50 x 38cm
Location: Unknown
Image available at:
http://lauralian.co.uk/portfolio/child-of-hope/
This sculpture by British sculptor Laura Lian, is the second in a series of three, the first being Child of History, and the final piece to be Child of Peace.
The last image from my research is a joyful one.
Karl Jensen:
Rejoicing: (2009)
Media: Bronze
Dimensions: 54inches
Location: Unknown
Image Available at:
http://www.meyergalleries.com/artist/Karl_Jensen%20(sculptor)/works/3440/#!3440
This sculpture by American sculptor Karl Jensen seems the perfect depiction of Joy.
These are my own responses to the three emotions I hope to capture in my bronzes.
Tricia Cottrell:
Despair: (2014)
Media: Clay, PVA Glue.
Dimensions: 6.5cm wide x 7cm deep x 9cm high
Location: Artists Collection
Photograph: Tricia Cottrell (2014)
Tricia Cottrell:
Hope: (2014)
Media: Clay, PVA Glue
Dimensions: 5.75cm wide x 7cm deep x 4.25cm high
Location: Artists Collection
Photograph: Tricia Cottrell (2014)
Tricia Cottrell:
Joy: (2014)
Media: Clay, PVA Glue
Dimensions: 6.30cm wide x 6.5cm deep x 13cm high
Location: Artists Collection
Photograph: Tricia Cottrell (2014)
I think these will work well as bronzes!
I was so excited when I went to the first class that I forgot to record the process, but I came across the website of Laurence Broderick who used exactly the same method.
http://www.laurencebroderick.co.uk/casting_1.html
At the end of the day I had a clay mold ready for the rubber to be poured into.
The following images show the rest of the stages leading finally to the bronze figures.
Photograph: Tricia Cottrell (2014)
Clay Mold With Poured Rubber
Photograph: Tricia Cottrell (2014)
Wax Coating the Rubber Mold
Photograph: Tricia Cottrell (2014)
Wax Models
Photograph: Courtesy of Kathryn Raffell (2014)
Bronze Pouring Hole, Filled With Wax
Photograph: Courtesy of Kathryn Raffell (2014)
Pouring The Bronze
Photograph: Courtesy of Kathryn Raffell (2014)
My Mold Filled With Bronze
Photograph Courtesy of Kathryn Raffell (2014)
Breaking the Mold
Photograph Courtesy of Kathryn Raffell (2014)
The Raw Bronze
Photograph: Tricia Cottrell (2014)
The Finished Bronzes.
I was really pleased with them. The way the light catches the surfaces and makes them gleam is aesthetically very pleasing. The sizes of the sculptures (smallest 8cm, tallest 9.5cm excluding outstretched arms) and their smooth surfaces, make them easy to hold and I enjoy touching them. The patina is, I think, quite traditional and I like that. I’m so glad I took advantage of this opportunity.
