A Copper Alliance Member
Copper in the Arts
Issue #12: April '08 - Cont'd
Revere Copper: America's Founding Foundry
Revere Copper covers the roofs of many
government buildings, including the
Massachusetts State House, above.
Photograph by Therese McKeon
The U.S. had a fleet of wooden vessels that were sheathed in copper, but after the Revolutionary War, the new government could no longer purchase copper sheets from Great Britain. Since Paul Revere was known as a silversmith who also cast bronze bells and marine hardware, the Department of the Navy asked him if he could develop the technology to roll copper. He believed he could. To start his new venture, he invested some of his own funds and borrowed $10,000 from the government. Some of the first copper from Revere’s company was used for the roof of the statehouse in Boston, for Robert Fulton’s ships, and to resheath the U.S.S. Constitution (a.k.a. Old Ironsides.)
Today, Revere Copper Products, Inc. has its main headquarters in Rome, New York, which is primarily a rolling and extrusion plant, while it also maintains a plate mill in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
“We had our 200th birthday back in 2001, and the research we were doing for that celebration told us that we might be the oldest manufacturing company in the United States,” says Donald M. Commerford, Senior Vice President,
There were a few detours during those 200 years, however, which even involved losing the name of its founder for a short time. The Revere family sold their interest in the company in the 1800’s, and five copper mills, including Revere, merged into one in the 1920’s. At that time, the company was named after one of the other mills in the merger, but a legal problem with that name brought about the decision to once again use the name of the patriot who started it all. The company then became publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange and eventually became a Fortune 500 company. It was also in the aluminum business then, including the production of the famous cooking utensils called Revere Ware.
“The world price of aluminum dropped down to 40 cents a pound back in the early 1980’s,” Commerford says. Since the energy to produce the aluminum cost 25 cents per pound, the company wound up in Chapter 11. A consortium of investment bankers bought it and spun off the different divisions. Revere Copper Products, Inc. then became a separate entity.
Today, Revere produces copper, brass, and bronze for several different markets. It is the market leader for the architectural industry, with several unique products, such as EverGreen™ Pre-Patinated Architectural Sheet Copper, a 99.5% pure copper with real patina on one side for those who prefer not to wait for the natural aging process. Another product is FreedomGray™, a sheet copper which is coated on both sides with a patented tin-zinc alloy for an unusual earthtone gray color. The Liberty Collection™ offers architects different patterns of textured copper, which is especially useful for high traffic areas where damage resistance is important. The company’s innovative Alpolic composite panels combine copper sheeting with a thermoplastic core, which allows the material to be formed into almost any shape. This makes the panels perfect for curves and corners.
Revere also provides copper to the telecommunications industry for coaxial cable, as well as bus bar for large electrical equipment manufacturers, supplies for the air conditioning industry, and architectural shape extrusions for elevator manufacturers such as Otis Elevator Company. The company casts brass and bronze hardware for builders as well, such as decorative doorknobs and kick plates.
“What’s unique about us is that we’re the only copper company that has a technical service department,” says Commerford. “We have certification from the American Institute of Architects, so we have staff that can go out and conduct seminars in architects’ offices. Architects need to be re-certified every so many years, and they need to have so many credits. By attending a Revere Architectural Seminar, they can earn credits toward their re-accreditation.”
Revere’s senior managers bought the company in 1989, and the three original partners wanted to share the ownership with all of the employees. They gave stock to everyone in the company and negotiated the gift of stock with the hourly union employees.
“We’re very proud of the fact that we’re very much a team-based organization,” Commerford says, “and all employees are owners.”
Resources:
Revere Copper Products, Inc., One Revere Park, Rome, NY, (800) 448-1776
Back to Top
Debra Weld Brings out the Colorful Side of Copper
Colored copper jewelry by Debra Weld
Photograph by Larry Sanders
Debra begins with scrap copper picked up from a local refinery, which she then cuts and sands with a coarse sandpaper. After cleaning the metal with liquid detergent and alcohol and allowing it to dry, she applies a patina made specifically for copper by Jax Chemical Company. She prefers their green patina, which makes the metal a bit rougher in order to take the color better. She lets the patina sit for 12 to 24 hours so it moves into all of the valleys she sanded into the copper. Only then does she begin adding color.
Debra prefers Prismacolor pencils because they’re very highly concentrated pigments which contain a small amount of wax for a smoother texture. She always starts with a very light color and, rather than using the tip of the pencil, she uses the sides to put a very light touch all the way across the copper.
Next, she dips a paintbrush in turpentine and applies it to the color to disintegrate the pigment, patting the turpentine with her brush to dissolve the color into the valleys of the copper. After that dries, she adds another layer and repeats the process. Generally, she applies two layers of turpentine, but sometimes three are required.
Then, she’s ready to begin her design. She always works light to dark, using the darkest color toward the end of the process.
“Sometimes I’ll shade a red apple with green in certain spots or purples or yellows, but again, the touch is very light,” she says.
Eventually, the copper will reach a point where it no longer will accept color. This can happen after five layers or 50 depending upon the design. The piece is then placed in a toaster oven for 5 to 10 minutes at about 275 degrees. During this time, the wax within the color is melted into the valleys of the copper. After it air-cools, Debra sprays the piece with a sealer such as Krylon, which will dry in 5 to 15 minutes, after which she applies another layer of color. She may repeat this process as many as seven times, depending upon the desired effect.
She then uses a product called Renaissance Wax, applying a thin layer with her finger. The piece goes back into the toaster oven for another 5 to 10 minutes, and after it has completely cooled, she uses a cloth similar to a sweatshirt to rub off any residue. To buff the piece to a high gloss, she uses denim or fuzzy chenille. The color seals very well, and the finished jewelry is remarkably durable.
The back plate of the finished piece is made of Precious Metal Clay or PMC, a product developed in Japan by Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, which consists of 99% pure silver fine particles mixed with water and a binding agent similar to cornstarch. It allows you to roll out the metal, sculpt it, or carve it.
“I had done silversmithing years ago and I really liked how casting looked with silversmithing,” says Weld. “But I’m lazy. So, I did a lot of fabricated pieces because I just didn’t like all the cleanup. PMC will do the casting look, and it’s easier to clean it before you fire it.”
Debra is especially interested in working with PMC and wants to show the world that the clay is not a shortcut to working with metal but is capable of creating very refined jewelry.
“If you have the word ‘clay’ in it, people automatically assume it’s cheap and easy to work with,” she says. She is adamant that it is not a “craft” product, however, and she plans to soon create works with PMC and fused glass.
While she is now based in Kansas City where she grew up and studied art, Debra lived in Alaska for many years. As a result of living in a place that was dark so much of the year, she became especially enamored with color, which remains her main inspiration. “Color makes me happy,” she says. “It makes me feel content.”
Copper in the Arts: HISTORY
The American Bronzing Company: Precious Today, Priceless Tomorrow
Bronzing baby shoes at American Bronze
Photograph courtesy of Robert Kaynes, Jr.
The American Bronzing Company, a direct marketing division of the Bron-Shoe Company, began in the early 1930’s by Violet Shinbach who, while shopping at a department store in Cleveland, Ohio, noticed a pair of baby shoes that had been bronzed. She had her shoes bronzed, sent them to her friends and family and knew she was onto something special. With her keen business sense, she thought she could sell these wonderful keepsakes – and she did. In 1934, the Bron-Shoe Company was officially founded and by September 22, 1949, the company was incorporated. In 1952, the company delved into the direct marketing business, with the new American Bronzing Company Division.
Bron-Shoe is now in its third generation of family leadership. Robert Kaynes, Jr. serves as President and CEO.
“Violet was my grandmother and the mother of baby shoe bronzing,” says Kaynes, Jr., proudly. “I’d say that more than 14 million baby shoes have been bronzed, and it’s now coming back. Mothers everywhere are having their baby’s first shoes or sneakers bronzed again. What changed the process is the Internet. It’s made it more convenient and accessible, and people are realizing that for a very small amount of money (starting at $39.95) they can create heirlooms that will be cherished for a lifetime.”
Lining up bronzed baby shoes
Photograph courtesy of Robert Kaynes, Jr.
“We have an in-state metals distributor from whom we purchase our copper,” he explains. “The most requested baby shoe design is the one with the 8 x 10 picture frame. The second most popular one is having the shoes bronzed and mounted on a simple walnut finished platform. We can also add personal touches like an elegant nameplate decorated with a simulated birthstone, embossed praying hands, or zodiac emblem.”
And, it’s not just doting parents, grandparents, or other family members interested in bronzing. The American Bronzing Company created keepsakes for famous athletes.
“We bronzed Mickey Mantle, Sammy Sosa, and Mark McGwire’s baseball cleats,” says Kaynes. “We also bronzed Jack Nicklaus’s and Bobby Jones’s golf shoes, and Doug Williams’s football cleats from the Superbowl. We’ve bronzed cowboy boots for Roy Clark, racing headgear for AJ Foyt, Willie Shoemaker’s riding books and Dr. Julius Erving and Bob Lanier’s basketball shoes.”
Although baby shoe bronzing is the main part of the company, other services are available. They can bronze almost anything, as well as repair or re-plate old damaged silver, polish, repair or restore damaged brass, copper or nickel pieces. If you’re refinishing your home, they can restore door and window hardware, lamps, chandeliers, sconces, boilers, pots, kettles, churchware, fireplace sets, trays, vents and registers - all to their original finish.
“But, our baby shoes are our most important item,” says Kaynes. “There’s nothing better than a family heirloom.”
Resources:
American Bronzing Company, 1313 Alum Creek Dr., Columbus, OH, (800) 423-5678
Back to Top
Copper in the Arts: NEWS
Sculpture in Public: Part 2, Public Art - October 02, 2008
Crown Water Fountain, by artist Jaume Plensa, who will be the keynote speaker at the 2008 ISC Conference.
Photograph by Antonio Vernon
Continuing conversations started at the 2007 conference, this two and a half day event brings together members including artists, arts administrators, curators, patrons, museum directors, educators, and students for dialogue and networking events focused on issues related to public art. The ISC began hosting sculpture conferences over 45 years ago, selected Grand Rapids as the location for their 2008 event due to the cities vibrant cultural community with a long history with public art.
“Sculpture in Public: Part 2, Public Art promises to be an exciting occasion”, said Johannah Hutchison, Executive Director of the International Sculpture Center. “It offers a wonderful forum for members to network and exchange ideas, as well as visit a region of the US with a rich history of Public Art. Building on last year’s conference we look forward to bringing more of our membership together, particularly the students, to continue the discussions about public art today.”
The conference will be headquartered at the 130 acre Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, heralded by the Wall Street Journal as “the most important sculpture collection west of the Kroller Mueller” and whose collection ranges from Rodin and Maillol, to Moore and Hepworth, to Cragg and Goldsworthy. “We are honored to share our collections, gardens and grounds with the ISC and its members in this capacity.” Says Curator of Sculpture and Director of Exhibitions, Joseph Antenucci Becherer, “we are a highly unique institution as equally a botanical gardens, sculpture park and museum.”
A keynote address to be given by internationally celebrated sculptor and installation artist Jaume Plensa, who also be the subject of a major exhibition at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park during the conference. This will be Plensa’s largest US exhibition to date and Park members will join conference attendees for this talk. Other events being planned for the conference include panel discussions by leaders in the arts, social events, pre-conference workshops, a vendor’s square, and Art Slam, where attendees can share slide of their work for critique by others.
Additional local organization’s participating in the events include the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art (UICA) and Grand Rapids Art Museum. Grand Rapids was selected as the host site for this international conference because of its long history and devotion to public art, and, in particular, sculpture. The city was the first recipient of an NEA Art in Public Places grant in 1969, which enabled the acquisition of Alexander Calder’s monumental, La Grande Vitesse – widely considered the sculptor’s most important stabile. In the nearly four ensuing decades, the community has continued its commitment to public sculpture and hosts major works by Mark di Suvero, Maya Lin, Robert Morris, Dale Chihuly, and Ellsworth Kelly, among other. In addition, the Grand Rapids Art Museum has just opened a critically acclaimed new facility at the heart of the central city. The Museum and the city’s Public Art, combined with the collections and grounds of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, provide a highly unique venue for the 2008 conference.
Resources:
International Sculpture Center, 19 Fairgrounds Rd., Suite B, Hamilton, NJ, (609) 689-1051
Back to Top
