Made to order
The studio mold lets me cast waxes to work on, as well as a cold cast model for display.
While I occasionally have a piece in stock, most of my sculpture is cast and finished to order. Please allow three to six weeks for me to mail your piece. Each piece is signed and numbered, and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity including the casting date, number in the edition, and a description of the piece, including dimensions and original patina. Keep this certificate in case you ever want to sell (or insure) your sculpture.
Casting to order allows you to choose your patina. Standard patina colors (and minor variations such as a different color on a doorknocker ring) are included in the price of your sculpture. Other colors are available, please ask. Complicated patinas, such as putting markings onto a dog, require sending the piece out to a specialty patina artist, and will cost more. I’m happy to do other simple customizations, such as inscriptions, at no charge.
Dog breed door knockers and hardware
I get several inquiries a week about making door knockers in additional breeds of dogs (or cats, or horses, or all sorts of interesting creatures). Your inquiries are very welcome — it’s one of the ways I gauge how much interest there might be in a particular breed. I spend anywhere from 20 to 60 hours sculpting a new design, and invest somewhere between $500 and several thousand dollars in moldmaking and deposits to get it into production. If you can persuade me that people will be interested, I’d love to do a design in your breed! The breeds that get to the front of the line are either breeds I know well, or breeds that have people intrested in guiding me with photos and critiques (and in better times, people who are willing to let me come and see their dogs).
Commissioned sculptures
Memorial and portrait sculptures are examples of commissioned work. Your piece will be one of a kind. It takes time (and a lot of back and forth communication and photos) to capture your beloved animal in metal. Depending on the complexity of your idea and what else I have on my plate, expect for me to take anywhere from a week to several months on the sculpture, followed by at least a month to six weeks for casting and finishing.
The price will be agreed-upon in advance depending on size, breed, and complexity. I require a 1/3 deposit to begin work, followed by 1/3 when you approve the design and it goes to the caster. The final payment is due, plus the cost of shipping and the base or mounting if you prefer something beyond a simple wooden base, when the piece is ready to pick up at the caster.
Trophies
I also do breed club trophies and awards. Sometimes a donor purchases a piece out of an edition to offer to a club. Others commission a unique design. Sculptural trophies are usually challenge or perpetual trophies due to the cost involved. Breed clubs often require a custom box for perpetual trophies, which can be provided at an additional cost.
I also do medallions and other small awards which can be produced in multiples.