HTML clipboard
This bronze sculpture from
artist David Manuel, was donated to us as a fundraiser. This piece is named "Slippery When Wet" and depicts a
mother mountain lion (cougar) and her three kittens (cubs). Full of
personality, a combination of frustration and affection describes this family in
it's natural habitat. The hint of a possible disciplinary action is at
hand. This may remind you of your own family... The base is walnut and
green marble. Copyright is 2000, this bronze is slightly larger than the
previous Mother's Day series. At 19" x 11" the size puts this piece in
it's own category. This sculpture is #138 of 250. This sculpture
would be an excellent addition to any mountain home or cabin, or a retreat lodge
or resort. If you love nature and/or the powerful mountain lion (cougar)
then this bronze is just for you! Suggested value of this piece is
$3950.00 by David Manuel in 2011. We have the certificate of authenticity
from the original sale of this bronze.
"Lost Wax" Process
1. An artist's completed scultpure is taken to the foundry, bid,
photographed, & measured.
2. It is then cut up so that the mold will pick up the most detail and pour
well in wax and metal. The mold is made of silicone rubber then
covered with a thick plaster outer mold.
3. Several (4) coats of wax are poured into the mold. Each coat being
allowed to cool and then the mold is removed.
4. Wax chasers clean, repair, smooth, replace detail, cut windows, etc. to
prepare the wax for the rest of the process.
5. The wax goes to be sprued which is attaching the waxes to a cup with
sprue wax to make the channels for the metal to reach all parts of the
piece.
6. Eight coats of slurry are then applied with 24 hours drying time between
each coat to make a thick ceramic shell surrounding the wax.
7. These shells are then put in a burn out oven and heated to 1500 degrees
to melt out the wax, leaving a cavity for the bronze.
8. The hot shells go into the foundry room and are heated from 1900 to 2100
degrees then filled with molten bronze.
9. Sledge and jack hammers are used to carefully chip the shell off so that
the bronze can be sand blasted.
10. Metal toolers then begin welding the pieces back together, aligning,
buffing, grinding, and reparing detail and texture until the sculpture looks
at if is were cast in one piece.
11. The final process is patina. This is where color is put on with
heat and chemicals then hot waxed to seal and stop any chemical action.
This product was added to our catalog on Tuesday 13 December, 2011.
