My first bronze sculpture. (in wax)

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Permalink Reply by steve appel on May 11, 2011 at 12:12pm

If you are depending on making a living with your bronzes  good luck,  i would stick with jewelry and introduce your bronzes in slowly.   i  like your fish.  Did a show this past weekend where i live and we discussed those with large pieces,  they may have to wait a long time to sell just one.    I do sculpture but my work is small and affordable.   In this economy times are tough and people are watching their money.  But if you like it do it,  i just hope you have another source of income.

Permalink Reply by Dawn Vertrees on May 11, 2011 at 12:20pm

This is why I'm asking the sculptors, you all would know best...I don't want to make a mistake only because I'm excited.

Permalink Reply by Warren Townsend on May 17, 2011 at 11:56pm

Dawn, very nice fish. I do some  sculptues but they are fabricated and not cast.  With large or medium size sculptres yes it is hard to transport, and you have to show a few times to sell.  Old saying everyone has walls but no where to place a sculpture.  Only advantage with doing cast  sculptures is being able to have a multiple cast from the same mold.  This way you can price them more reasonable.  Expensive process if you do not have the proper foundry set up.  I have a close friend that does the bronze sculptures and his very from table top to twelve feet high. Has his own foundry that he built so that he can pour 300lbs. He has made a good living doing the sculptures lots of them special commissions for commercial and a few private. But he is like a lot us where we have a few large sculptures setting around the house waiting for that sell.

Permalink Reply by Dawn Vertrees on May 19, 2011 at 8:58am

Thanks Warren.  I like working with pieces this size...but to be honest, at this time I'm not exactly sure what my next bronze project will be...so size can change.  I'm hoping my gallery meeting tomorrow will help me a bit with that.  We have a 23' haulmark "mancave" trailer that we pull behind our Coach...so I'm good with the hauling.

This piece will have 2 months of my time plus casting time, if I had to just make one fish, I would starve to death or I would have to charge a bunch for a one-of-a-kind...ouch!  Wyland Galleries will be getting the first finished Lionfish (if they like it) so I'm hoping they can help with the Limited Editions questions I'll have...they have been great with my jewelry line. They were the ones to give me the go ahead to start the Bronze project. Si I've decided not to cast the first one...I feel I have one shot to get Wyland attention and I want it to be a good one. I also want the patina to be perfect...faint lion stripes and all so I have chosen a company in NC to help me finish the guy.

 

If you have any good Limited Edition How-to's...I'm all ears. Thanks again Warren for your thoughts.