Sculptural Process. My technique for creating large sculptures begins with making sketches, either on paper or in clay, of my general impressions of the finished work. I work in earthenware clay for its tactile qualities, its responsiveness to touch, and its ability to capture emotional expression. I then make more defined models in clay, of which one is chosen to be the model for the final sculpture. The full-scale modeling is again done in clay, over a welded steel armature. I then have flexible rubber molds made, in which the sculpture is cast in wax; I then address any necessary changes.

The complete wax sculpture is invested, most often in pieces, in a high-temperature standing mold. The wax is melted out and the bronze is poured in to recreate the pieces in metal. The pieces are assembled and welded together, then worked back into the final sculpture, which is then colored with an acid patina and waxed or lacquered for preservation.

While my formal education emphasized the strongly held ideas of the 20th century on the individuality of artistic vision, when I do commissioned work I feel that it must reflect both the clients’ and future audiences’ feelings about the subject matter as well as my artistic vision.