Meg Brooks sculpture


Portfolio Alice in Wonderland Collection African Art Animals Nudes Portrait Busts Processes Used Shows Purchasing Information Keith Brooks Main Home Page Link Exchange	Meg works primarily in terra-cotta, a red clay which fires a light pink when left in it's natural state. She usually patinas the fired pieces, using a combination of acrylics shellac with bronze powder, and wax mixed with various colors, depending on the effect she wants. If the piece has a mold made of it, then it is possible to make either hydrocal (a very hard plaster), Bronze or bonded bronze copies of it. The hydrocal copies are the least expensive although not as durable and bronze or bonded bronze. Bonded bronze is a plastic resin with bronze powder in it - much lighter in weight than bronze, and suitable for indoors and outdoors. Bronze, of course, is the most desirable because of the beautiful patinas it is possible to get, and it's long lifetime. Terra cotta is her medium of choice because it is easy to work with and it is possible to get fine detail. After sculpting a piece, it must be hollowed, and dried before firing. It is put in the kiln and the temperature slowly raised to the maximum for that specific kind of clay (each clay has a different maximum firing temperature) and kept there for approximately 12 hours. Some people like the light pink color of the fired clay, in which case she leaves it as is. Others like the look of bronze and the price of terra cotta, so she patinas those pieces. It is possible to have a mold and bronze casting made of any piece if so desired.