A typical day in the foundry: “No day is the same as the last, which makes it so much fun. Some days we’re sculpting and others we’re making moulds and lost-wax casts, welding or chasing our bronze works.”- Roxy Steve taught Roxy everything he has learnt about the manipulation of molten bronze in order to create these stunning sculptures. It’s a labour- intensive process, but justified by the quality of the end result. All sculptures begin as wax, built around an armature. A mould of the sculpture is then made to create a lost wax pattern, which is coated with ceramic powder. Once the shelling process is complete, the wax is then melted off and the shells are prepped for the bronze pour (the bronze that’s poured into the ceramic shells is heated to temperatures in excess of 1000°c!). Once cooled, the shell is removed and the bronze is ready for finishing. The final process is the patina - the sculpture is heated and chemicals are applied to the surface, colouring the bronze. Roxy’s scientific background influences her patination techniques, as she formulates the chemicals to create a unique finish for her pieces. Father & Daughter: Previously Steve has travelled around the globe visiting countries such as India, Peru, Kenya and Australia, drawing inspiration from every wonderfully diverse experience. But it was the legendary Greek sculptures that inspired Steve to master his mould-making skills and create his beautifully hand-finished pieces. Steve’s lifelike sculptures depict the animals he has encountered through his many travel and conservation expeditions over the years. Although Roxy’s biggest influence is of course her father, a major inspiration for her new ‘The Circle of Life’ collection was Disney. Inspired by The Lion King, the essence of which is about nature’s way of taking and giving back to the earth, her adorable pieces have an overall circular form to represent this cycle. Each animal has its own name to capture the quirky characters she’s created, helping to create a connection between the piece and its owner.
“It’s all about nature’s way of taking and giving back to the earth. Animals are there for you no matter what. There is always a love there from both sides.”- Roxy
DID YOU KNOW?
Steve was recently invited to St James’ Palace by Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie due to his huge support for wildlife conservations. He also turned down an exhibition in the Louvre last year to work with us – and we are immeasurably proud and grateful that he did! Away from her home ground of academia and art, Roxy is also an advanced open water diver, having completed dives in the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and Red Sea. She is also an award-winning powerlifter and is currently working towards getting her private pilot’s licence. We are in awe!
22 FINE ART COLLECTOR SPRING/SUMMER 2020
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