Unique Bronze Owl Sculpture
This modern owl sculpture was inspired by a moment in time that surprised me and filled me with joy in equal measures. Foundry cast in bronze with a black patina, it captures their mystical nocturnal prowess.
I love owls. Like so many people I find myself captivated and enchanted by these magical creatures.
I was in my office and could hear a commotion outside – I thought it was the neighbour’s cats fighting so I grabbed my torch. Scanning my garden I happened to shine it into my tree.
There, sat as still as the night, was a beautiful Tawny Owl looking straight at me! I couldn’t believe my luck and didn’t dare move in case I scared them away. What a moment.
Every time I see an owl it’s as special as the last – never tiring of how special those fleeting glimpses of them are. Having a bronze sculpture of an owl brings them closer than ever.
How are they made?
I start each sculpture in exactly the same way, with a bag of professional grade clay.
Once dried but not bone dry, owl was ready to have her mould made. As a more complex piece she needed to be cut up into 3 sections so in fact had 3 separate plaster moulds created.
From the plaster moulds, silicon moulds were made.
When a new owl is born, hot wax is poured into those silicon moulds to create an exact copy of each piece.
These are then carefully assembled to produce an exact copy of the original clay owl in wax, which is then dipped multiple times into a ceramic slurry to form an outer coating to the wax.
Once dry, they’re then put in the furnace and the wax melts out, leaving a hollow ceramic shell.
It’s this shell that the molten bronze is then poured into.
Once the bronze has cooled, the ceramic shell is knocked off to reveal the bronze casting beneath. The inside is ground out and then the pieces assembled and finished by hand.
Then comes the patination process – a combination of heat and different chemicals to produce different colours.
Once the patina is complete, owl gets all hot and bothered again before a generous coating of wax is applied to protect the finish, she’s allowed to cool, then buffed to a shine.
Here’s some snaps I took during her creation process…
Bronze sculpture guide
Let’s start with the basics: What exactly is bronze?
Bronze is a metal alloy mostly made up of copper. Mass-produced bronzes often skimp on the copper content and use tin, lead, and iron instead which leave the sculptures open to corrosion and breakages.
The bronze I use for my sculptures contain a high copper content of 96%, along with 1% manganese and 3% silicon. The added silicon strengthens the sculptures, although it makes the process more challenging and costly for the foundry.
Hot or cold?
Cold cast bronze refers to sculptures made with resin and moulds, sometimes finished with bronze powder to mimic the look of a genuine bronze sculpture.
Hot cast Bronze involves creating a mold from the original sculpture, followed by the creation of a wax copy. The wax piece is then dipped multiple times in a ceramic coating, creating a sturdy shell. This is then heated in a kiln to melt the wax. Molten bronze can then be poured into the ceramic shell. Once cooled, the ceramic shell is removed, and the sculpture is assembled and perfected. The finishing touches involve patination to create beautiful surfaces, followed by a seal of hot wax that gives the sculpture its sheen and protects the surface from the elements.
Limited editions.
The number of pieces in an edition directly impacts their exclusivity and value.
Higher edition numbers indicate less exclusivity, while lower numbers make each piece more sought after.
But that’s not all! Provenance matters too.
Can you trace the sculpture’s journey from the artist to your hands? Look for sculptures made in the UK by reputable foundries, as they proudly put their name to their work. And for your peace of mind and future valuation, you’ll receive a signed certificate of authentication alongside your bronze sculpture.
Caring for your bronze
A wipe over with a clean, soft, dry cloth is all that’s needed unless the bronze is kept outside when it will need wax applying at least once a year to keep the elements off it and it looking like it should. Left to the elements the surface will develop into a green effect which is also rather nice.
