First casting of my latest work; ‘Halcyon Days’,a sculpted wall plaque
I’ve just finished this piece based on the Greek legend of ‘The Halcyon’. It’s sculpted in relief and as well as being a sculpted wall plaque made in cold-cast pewter shown below), it will also be available in copper and bronze and used to decorate trinket and jewellery boxes.
My sculpted wall plaque shows the ‘Halcyon’; a ‘Kingfisher-like’ bird, which was believed to have the power to calm the seas around the winter solstice for a period of two weeks, so that it could build it’s nest and lay it’s eggs on still waters. Over the centuries the meaning has changed so that it is now a phrase used to mean a nostalgic rememberance of long hot summers gone by.
To create this, I spent many hours sculpting it in wax, it was then moulded and I’m now enjoying producing it in cold-cast pewter, copper and bronze. I’ve also been experimenting with a turquoise wash over the top to mimic verdigris, and also with different mountings.
‘Halcyon Days’ will soon be available as a sculpted wall plaque mounted either on a ceramic tile, on a box canvas or on Cumbrian stone (with the title inscribed into the stone around the cast plaque). It will also be available on trinket and jewellery boxes….more images soon.
The plaque itself measures about 4.5″ (11 cm) in diameter and I cast them in my coal shed. They even contain a spoonful of coal dust which provides a dark base colour for the metal finish. Everything I produce is designed, sculpted, cast, polished, waxed and boxed by….just me!