Bronze sculptures certainly have a classy appeal, regardless of their size and subject. Along with its durability, it isn’t very difficult to see why bronze has been used in sculptures for centuries.
A bronze statue was recently unveiled in Bay City, MI. The new statue pays homage to Paul Harris, founder of the city’s Rotary Club. The following interview with Ron Bloomfield, a Rotary Club member, is from MLive.com:
“This statue is not simply a piece of local art, it symbolizes so much more … a piece of a greater mission — Service Above Self, the embodiment of Rotary,” added Bloomfield, serving this year as president of the Rotary Club of Bay City, which raised $50,000 to commission the sculpture by Georgia artist Carl McCleskey.
Dozens of local Rotarians and community members gathered Tuesday, Sept. 16, for the dedication of the sculpture, which began as an idea of retired Delta College President Don Carlyon in 2008. Carlyon envisioned a sculpture of Harris sitting in Rotary Park outside the historic Pere Marquette Depot, 1000 Adams St.
While there are many people who believe art should be done for art’s sake, art is also profitable, especially if one has the skill, talent, and determination to succeed. With many trusted suppliers of bronze bars such as Rotax Metals providing high quality metals, aspiring sculptors would do well to begin using the material for more high-profile pieces. If you plan to create and sell bronze sculptures in the future, keep the following tips in mind:
Use Quality Bronze
Bronze itself is an amalgam of various metals, so in a sense, there is no such thing as pure bronze. However, do not let that stop you from using high-quality bronze sheets and bars as appraisers know how to spot them. Needless to say, the higher the quality of the bronze used, the higher the price a piece of art can go for during an exhibit or auction.
Casting Method
There are generally two methods used for creating bronze sculptures: sand casting and lost-wax casting. Both are equally adept at creating beautiful sculptures, but many art experts, collectors, and appraisers firmly believe that lost-wax casting is a superior method as it allows the sculptor to create pieces with more depth and detail.
(Source: Bay City Rotary Club dedicates bronze sculpture of organization’s founder Paul Harris; MLive.com; September 16, 2014)
