Martini and Mojito

Origination Date: February, 2018

Dimensions: (in progress)

Limited Edition Commission

I got to know an individual through the Arizona Equine Rescue Organization Inc. some years ago, and she approached me to create a sculpture of their recently acquired Polo mare that shortly after their purchase unexpectedly gave birth to a healthy foal. She and her partner wanted to memorize this event. After taking lots of pictures and all the measurements of mom and son, I started the project in Switzerland to save time. When we were ready to return back to Arizona I packed the clay model up and took it as checked-in baggage with us. Back in Arizona it looked a little squashed up, but the normal anatomy was restored within an hour. Obviously, the mare had to look “poloish” with a short mane. The owners allowed me to also sell a few copies of the sculpture, so I also created a longer mane for the mare. The sculpture show the two running down a slope, side by side.

Be patient … finished Bronze Sculpture images coming soon!

The Making of the Bronze Sculpture “Martini and Mojito”

Decide what your sculpture should be.
Create an armature, either by creating a wire skeleton, which you mount directly, or “hang it up” on a device mounted on the wooden board.
Start adding oil-based clay and complete your sculpture. Once you are happy with it create the base on which it stands, identify it and decide how many copies you like to have made. This is engraved into the base of the original.
The original is then taken to a specialist to create the mould of it. The clay sculpture may have to be divided into several parts, dependent upon its complexity.
From the mould(s) wax copies are generated, they need to be inspected for potential air bubbles or deficiencies and if needed corrected.
The waxes are then taken to a foundry, where they are cast using the “lost wax” technique (for the exact technique see Wikipedia.com). If a sculpture consists of several parts, they are then welded together and the welding scars ground down by specialist in the foundry.
Most artists have the foundry, where patina specialists are available, finish the sculpture according to their specifications. I prefer to create the patina myself with the help of André Schwab, a Swiss native, who studied the art of creating patinas for his own sculptures. We do this work at Loren Phippen’s* place in Scottsdale.

* Loren is the son of the late George Phippen, who was one of the founders of the “Cowboy Artists of America.”