sand blasted

detail of torso number 10



Side and front views torso number 10, 30" x 10" x 8"


detail torso number 9




Multiple views torso number 10, 31" x 8" x 9"

Sunday April 22, I finished cutting off all of the sprues and vents. After hours of cleaning and the final sand blasting, the figures are almost ready to finish. They are assembled now and it is possible to see something of the original wax models. There were some areas that slumped during the dipping and have to be realigned. The beautiful deep sepia tone and luminous surface of the wax is gone. The stark honey tone of the bronze feels too clean, raw, unseasoned, lacking the subtle passages that were so beautiful. There are some last minute decisions about deepening the surface with hot or cold patinas and welding. I sometimes like to join the sections manually with wire. The third piece of this group will be cast next week and hopefully the group will be done by the end of this semester. It is not immediately apparent, but the figures heads have slight inclinations toward or away, depending on how they are placed. I have some small technical things to fix in the structures themselves. There are some cut off spurs that must be polished and the feet will be shaped and smoothed. I am excited to finally see the group after months of waiting between the initial designing process in January, the melt downs in February and then the slow process of rebuilding, preparing the pours and vents for the casting process, dipping the investment, casting and cleaning. Many steps. It is easy for me to lose my once compelling vision and in its place, I find only exhaustion. I will have to get away from the work, create a neutral eye and stumble on them before I will know if they are any good. The prejudice of expectation and investment are hard on the finished work.