Artist Andy Brownell

Mercury

	Size: 12"x 14" Medium: Non-sulferated clay final build up for bronze casting Description: This is a build up for a bronze that I wanted to do. Mercury is the fastest of the Roman gods and it seems fitting that he should be given the honor of breaching the sound barrier, or the speed of light.
	Okay, so here's the finished clay. Next a mold was taken and a wax poured.
	Here's the unfinished wax. Next we'll trim and texture the wax in preparation to casting. With any luck this piece will soon be on reliefs page!
	This was something I was considering after the first mold was taken. I started to wonder if opening negative space would help the dynamics of the piece. I think it has so we will pursue the cutout version of the piece and take it to bronze first. I will be reworking the original wax from what I learned from opening the piece up.
	This wax was pulled from the original mold. After looking at the cut out I didn't think it was dynamic enough, so I'm carving into it to add more depth and texture.
	The wax is now covered with a thin coating of “investment material”, in this case a silica material, as a shell is developed for it prior to casting. Serveral of these coats are applied until the piece is strong enough to withstand the melted bronze being poured into it. After this step the piece is placed in a kiln and the wax is burned out. In this case the cutaway version of Mercury will be the pieces cast. Yep, there are two now! :) btw thanks to TomTom for all the production pictures of the art work as it moves through the finishing stages.
	Sprues and gates (the big square “pipes”) were added to the back of the waxes prior to investment. These large channels allow the bronze to flow throughout the piece.
	Here are the two pieces still sprued, in bronze with the casting material sandblasted away.
	A view of the sprues and gates.
	Here it is :), still attached to it's sister piece. I must say it’s a pleasure seeing the pieces as they get closer and closer to finish. I have to admit to a certain amount of happiness and pride seeing these pieces at this stage. I can’t wait to see them with the patinas and hanging on the wall. Great photos TomTom, thanks again.