A Copper Alliance Member
Copper in the Arts
Issue #68: December '12 - Cont'd
Monumental Bronze: The Sculpture of Brian Chessmar
Conviction. Silicone bronze sculpture. The finish uses no patina in order to celebrate the natural splendor
of the bronze.
Photograph courtesy of Brian Chessmar
Although he works primarily in metals today, his first venture into sculpture began in stone. “I just took to it,” he says and it was 10 years before he transitioned into metal. “Bronze was the first metal I got into and learned to weld, and historically, bronze is the metal for sculpture.” But it was that stone working, including an apprenticeship for two years, which taught him the business side of being an artist and gave him the confidence to eventually work for himself.
These days, Chessmar fabricates large format bronze and stainless steel sculptures in his 1,200 square foot studio located in an agriculture area of Santa Barbara. “I strive to do monumental work,” he confesses, though he will do the occasional smaller work. But since the vast majority of his work is commissioned, his typical pieces are four feet tall and bigger, with price tags averaging $12,000. “My focus is to bring attention back to sculpture as a finely crafted object.” His monumental pieces fuse geometric, organic and curvilinear forms, reflecting man’s spiritual struggle.
Brian Chessmar working in his studio.
Photograph courtesy of Brian Chessmar
Chessmar has a number of commissioned pieces for private collectors, and public art fabrications for the City of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara City College, and the University of Southern California. He also has shown and installed his work in Minneapolis and Chicago. Galleries tend to be not practical in terms of his costs and upping the price of his work, a common refrain for many artists, but he is planning his own showroom in downtown Santa Barbara in the near future, in addition to promoting his bronze work on his website.
“I think all avenues are important to pursue,” he says which is why he also applies for public competitions. Ultimately, his work, while monumental, is also immensely intimate. Qualities that will keep him busy for years to come.
Resources:
Brian Chessmar, Santa Barbara, CA, (805) 637-7548
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Melinda Jacobson: Creating Beautiful Partnerships with Glass And Copperfoil
Meja Glass plates with copper foil designs.
Photograph courtesy of Melinda Jacobson
"Aquila offers studio space and they make it very easy to explore various aspects of glass using their tools, molds (to slump into different shapes), kilns, etc.,” she says. “There is space for you to leave your glass there for a nominal yearly fee and they charge for the firing by the square inch. It was here that I first saw copperfoil used with glass.
Jacobsen has perfected her technique over the years.
“The challenge is that it can create bubbles in between the layers of glass,” she says. “It's important to roll it out very flat before beginning and to only use a little glue to hold it in place. They actually recommend hairspray to provide adherency without too much moisture that tends to bubble.”
Copper ornaments.
Photograph courtesy of Melinda Jacobson
“I smooth it flat, clean it and press it into the glass,” she says. “Once the design work is done it is fired in a kiln to fuse it between the glass layers. What I find amazing is that the copper changes color and is sometimes multi-colored within one piece. I've had pieces that are copper-colored, burgundy, teal and black. It supplies interest, richness and is an easy way to add decorative touches to my artwork."
Trial and error have been needed to see which glass best enhances the copper. Jacobson says her daughter sometimes goes with her and was the first to try it on black. "I didn't know if the copperfoil would show up because sometimes it gets quite dark in the firing process,” she recalls. “But her finished piece was beautiful. I now use the copperfoil on black quite often. And, the alchemy of fire and light entices me to keep exploring."
Jacobson is a member of the Oregon Glass Guild and will likely be in their "Gathering of The Guilds" show at the Oregon Convention Center, April 26 to 28. Her copperfoil pieces were recently on display at French American International School Holiday Market, Saturday, Dec. 8 at the FAIS Campus in Portland.
Resources:
Melinda Jacobson, Meja Glass, North Portland, OR
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Angie Simonsen: Unique Style Is The Foundation for Weirdly Wired Jewelry
Stamped Mother's Pendant
Photograph courtesy of Weirdly Wired Jewelry
Although she works in a variety of materials, Simonsen fell in love with copper at a very young age, and continues to weave the metal into all of her work.
"For a 10th grade chemistry project, I chose copper as my favorite element and decorated poster board with wire swirls and pennies,” she says. “When I began making jewelry and home decor items, sterling silver was out of my price range. I decided to practice with what was available from the hardware store - copper! The cost was low so I didn't worry about waste and tried things with copper that I never would have with silver. As time progressed and my copper pieces kept accumulating, I decided to set them out at a home party and discovered they sold better than the silver pieces. That is still the case. Something special about the color and feel of copper changes with the wearer, the humidity, the finishing techniques. It becomes unique to the individual - what's not to love about that?"
Whether soldering a strip of copper sheet together to form a hollow heart pendant with three little Labradorite stones inside or creating a copper charm necklace with a sterling silver infinity symbol soldered to a solid one-inch copper disk, the jewelry is oxidized and polished to a warm glow. A copper spiral drop combines separate pieces for a simple, but elegant, everyday necklace. An earthy and rustic Pietersite stone hangs from a soldered and hammered ring with a brown suede strap and hand made copper clasp that is comfortable and easy to use.
Copper Charm, Silver Infinity
Photograph courtesy of Weirdly Wired Jewelry
A fresh water pearl wired into a hammered and domed copper disk then hung on an 18" copper ball chain includes sterling silver to frame the pearl and add texture. Her In The Forest pendant and earring set consists of mixed metals, with several different gemstones tied together using a combination of manufacturing techniques. This creation actually features movement and sound due to its construction.
"Soon I realized I was doing more and more personalized jewelry, and I wanted to find another way to add a name besides the alphabet block style letters,” Simonsen says. “Stamps were just becoming popular so I bought a set and also purchased a disk cutter. These were probably two of my best investments ever! Their addition to my trusty hammer and cheap hardware store pliers have made me what I am today."
Years ago, Simonsen took a silversmithing class then ended up selling and making things for her fellow students during class time. She also had a job to become a bench jeweler. She now runs a website, does art shows in homes, offices and even bars, designs customized pieces, photographs jewelry and is the proud artist and owner of Weirdly Wired Jewelry.
Resources:
Angie Simonsen, Weirdly Wired Jewelry, Bellevue, NE, (402) 709-1963
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Copper in the Arts: EVENTS
- Palm Beach Jewelry, Art, and Antique Show
Feb 15, '13 - Feb 18, '13 - Native Expressions: Dave McGary’s Bronze Realism
Mar 7, '13 - Jun 30, '13 - Evolving Character Head Demonstration with John Coleman
Mar 9, '13 - Mar 9, '13 - More Upcoming Events...
Copper in the Arts: NEWS
Commemorative JFK Bronze Sculpture Unveiled in Fort Worth, TX - December 10, 2012
Bronze statue of President John F. Kennedy.
Photograph courtesy of JFK Tribute and Downtown Fort Worth, Inc.
“The events of that day in 1963 have imbued the Fort Worth visit with extraordinary significance,” said Taylor Gandy, JFK Tribute Co-Chair. “President Kennedy’s vision and the impact of his leadership are as relevant today as they were in 1963.”
The JFK Tribute is the culmination of over a decade of work by a public-private partnership spearheaded by DFWII and Shirlee J. and Taylor Gandy to create a tribute to Kennedy commemorating his historic visit to Fort Worth and his immutable ideals of freedom, courage, discovery and leadership, which he shared in his speeches delivered here.
The Tribute exhibit was designed around an eight foot, heroic scale Lawrence Ludtke bronze sculpture, John F. Kennedy, cast in bronze in 2009 and installed in 2012. General Worth Square improvements by the City of Fort Worth set the stage for the new Tribute. The design team was led by Jacobs and included Museumscapes, the Lighting Practice, and AUI Contractors, LLC.
“Everyone involved in this project is honored to create a lasting tribute to this part of Fort Worth’s history and to present it in such a public location for all to enjoy,” concluded Mrs. Gandy.
Resources:
JFK Tribute, General Worth Square, Fort Worth, TX, (817) 698-7841
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