A Sculpture for Every Reason

I am frequently asked how and where to use a sculpture, what’s best for indoors or outdoors and how to best care for a sculpture. After creating sculptures for a few decades, I have my own ideas and suggestions. Along with how to choose a sculpture, I caution clients to be careful of supporting companies that are involved in producing knock-offs (copies of established artists’ works).

There are many ways to use sculpture indoors. An obvious use is to decorate or adorn a room of a home or business. I find that patrons are increasingly looking to create a focal point in a specific area or room to draw attention and to create a desired mood. Buyers have also expressed how they love having a sculpture as a conversation piece that can be talked about with family and friends. I have even had patrons convert their sculptures into fully functional accessories in their homes, such as faucets with water shooting out to fill their tubs! I had a client use his 50 inch sculpture of a boy on a paper airplane as a clock. He designed his marble floor as a clock face and the sculpture turns to point to the hour. Any way you look at it, there is a joy that comes from having a sculpture in your home; they have mass, fill a space and create presence. Since they are three dimensional, they can be enjoyed from every angle. Our clients tell us that their sculptures become a member of the family, and that they have to touch it every time they pass by. From personal experience, when we moved a sculpture from our front room, my children recognized the void and actually felt as if one of their friends had moved away. Businesses often use a sculpture to convey their goals or their core beliefs. An example is Cessna; they use my sculpture of a boy running with an airplane to show the excitement, wonder and sheer magic of flight.

Choosing a sculpture for outdoor use can open up exciting possibilities. Many people are looking to acquire a sculpture for their gardens and grounds. Sculptures are a great way to decorate a garden and to create a needed focal point as you design your outdoor space. Life-sized children showing the exuberance of youth have become very popular with many collectors who place them throughout their gardens or other outdoor settings. Whimsical pieces are a way to bring unexpected fun and excitement to any outdoor setting. Fountains and gardens have always been a timeless combination and bronzes that are plumbed for water to be a fountain are a popular way to use a garden sculpture. Bench pieces are also popular. Many bench pieces have famous historical figures or even celebrities placed on them. These sculptures give you a place to sit, relax and enjoy the garden views as well as to ponder and be inspired by the sculpture you are sitting with. The visual aesthetics of sculpture used properly with architecture can enhance and help create a sense of completeness and unity.

Cities and municipalities are often looking to acquire sculptures for public parks, buildings and libraries. The results of installing a sculpture in these settings can be surprising. The town of Needham, MA decided to install my sculpture of 7 children holding hands titled Circle of Peace in the town commons. What happened was amazing. Paul Good, director of the Town Revitalization Committee said, “We chose Gary's sculpture for many reasons, but the fundamental premise was to create a unique, meaningful element of attraction to which families from the entire town would be drawn and then inspired "by accident" to naturally interact. The Circle of Peace has become a magnet to which all children and their families connect. They meet and interact with others they might never meet. New babysitter connections, new playmates for their children, opportunities to meet new friends, all occur around the Circle of Peace. Every day we see the magic of children running to clasp the hands of the other "children" and complete the circle. Even in the winter there are often little footprints in the snow leading up to the statue. These are just a few examples of what kind of positive impact the statue has had on Needham, its guests, and the surrounding communities who visit the town.” What a great experience for their town and it all started from acquiring a bronze sculpture.

As you are searching for a sculpture to acquire, be careful to purchase it from a reputable gallery or artist. Many American artists’ works are being copied and reproduced overseas and then are showing up at garden centers, outdoor markets and differing websites, usually being sold at extremely low prices. If a sculpture looks cheap or has a painted look, be careful, it could be a knock-off. You don’t want to be investing your money in a sculpture that will have no value. A little homework on an artist can really payoff.

One of our favorite ways of seeing a bronze sculpture used is when a benefactor donates a sculpture to a cause or institution that is meaningful to them. It is a great way to leave a lasting legacy. There is much prestige that comes from donating a sculpture, but more important is the wonderful feeling and inner satisfaction that comes to both the donor and recipient of the sculpture. One does not have to be a millionaire to donate; there are many sculptures that are affordable that would be welcomed with open arms by recipients of a chosen cause.

A wonderful aspect of bronze is that the patina, or color, will change with time. The ancient statues of the Bronze Age are weathered and many of them are now blue-green in color. Bronze is 90 to 95% copper and is directly affected by its environment including water and air and the chemicals which they contain. Bronze will age and change colors regardless of the original patina on the piece. There are certain measures you may take to slow these actions but time will eventually make its own choice in how a bronze will look. With a traditional brown patina, if the bronze is placed in an area that has a sprinkler system or is a fountain, it will inevitably develop water spots which will appear and discoloration will occur. In some areas where the water is high in minerals, these will manifest themselves quickly on the statues. Many statues will turn almost white with mineral deposits or even blue if there is chlorine in the water. Wiping these statues with a cloth after they are wet will slow down the process. Vinegar is sometimes used to help take spots off but may not be extremely effective and should not be used in excess.

I have clients that have indicated to me that they actually rub linseed oil on their bronzes monthly in order to put a protective coat between the metal and the elements. Our studio staff recommends the bronzes be waxed once or twice a year with a paste wax similar to a Johnson's Paste wax. Apply the wax with a brush, let dry and buff with a cloth. You can also use a spray wax, such as Original Johnson Shine-Up Furniture Wax, to bring a shine to the piece. Greenish colored bronzes will not show the water spots and color changes as much as the brown patinas. We recommend paste wax applied as indicated above. If you are not satisfied with the way your bronze is aging, the last resort would be to re-patina your sculpture. This expensive process would likely involve removing the bronze from its permanent location and having a fine art foundry complete the process. We recommend you take the measures you deem appropriate to enjoy the aging of your bronze.

Indoors or out, bronze sculpture adds a touch of class and brings joy, happiness and beauty to any relegated space. As you look at your design needs, there is surely a sculpture that will fit and enhance your space.