Reflective Pools ..

Reflective Pools..
A shallow pool of water, with calm reflective surface, undisturbed by fountain jets..

Sculptures in Chicago and moreover everywhere, are getting more and more interactive.. The Crown Fountain by Jaume Plensa at the Millennium Park; is perhaps one of the most inter-active sculptural pieces in Chicago.











All the above images are at the Crown Fountain, Millennium Park..
Below are some more Reflective Pools in Chicago and Greater Chicagoland..


# Construction in Space and Time [1959] - by Antoine Pevsner..
For more, click here..


# Radiant One [1957] - by Richard Lippord..
For more, click here


# Fountain of Time [1922] - by Lorado Taft..
For more, click here..

RELATED LINKS..
# Crown Fountain - by Jamune Plensa...
# Construction in Space and Time [1959] - by Antoine Pevsner..
# Radiant One [1957] - by Richard Lippord..
# Fountain of Time [1922] - by Lorado Taft..
# Fountains and Reflective Pools..

CSI General Membership Meeting..

The CSI General Membership Meeting..
Feb 23, 2011..
350 N Ogden Avenue..
where, CSI = Chicago Sculpture International..


Ron on Insurance and liability issues..


Dusty Folwarczny on Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation [CPR]..
As February is American Heart Month..


Bob Emser on Art Chicago booth for CSI.. discussing guidelines for member participation..


Eric W. Stephenson on the CSI website..
which he has been working on [image below]. Maintaining a photblog, I know how much of a time consuming endeavour it is, but then it becomes a resource of reference. That's the upside!



Below are some random images, from the meeting and after..
















And always remember the beats of Bee Gees 1977 disco hit, "Staying Alive"..
It may help you say a life!!! It has the best rhythm to perform Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation [CPR].. With 103 beats per minute, it has the perfect beat to perform the CPR!

More images on my FB Album, click here..

The Y-Symbol / Municipal Device..

The Y-symbol can be found all over the Chicago city... bridges, fences, public buildings.. It is officially know as the "Municipal Device" and is a symbol of civic pride..
So what's the Y-symbol?


So what is Y-symbol?
Y-Symbol represents the three branches of Chicago River .. which forms an alphabet Y topography at the "Wolf Point", where the main branch of the river, divides into the North and South branches .. The Y-symbol is the symbol of the City of Chicago..
Inverted Y-Symbol..
At some places, inverted Y-symbol can be seen, with vertical stripe on top .. It represents the reversal of the flow of Chicago River.
For more on "Wolf Point", click here..


# Y-symbol at Franklin Street bridge..


# Y-symbol at Chicago Cultural Center.. click here..


# Y-symbol [inverted] at City Hall-County Building.. click here..


# Y-symbol at Chicago Theater marquee .. click here..


# Y-symbol at the Civil Engineering Monument of the Millennium.. click here..


# Y-symbol at Grant Park.. click here..


# Y-symbol at Harold Washington Library Center..


# Y-symbol [inverted] at [Former] Engine Company 104.. click here..


# Y-symbol on LaSalle Street bridge.. click here..


# Y-symbol at Millennium Park [light-fixtures]..


# Y-symbol at Millennium Park [Wrigley Square]..


# Y-symbol at the Rookery..


# Y-symbol at Riverwalk Gateway..

Y-symbol at Navy Pier..

NOTE..
The initial post was written last year on Feb 10, 2010. But I have made many new additions since then. So reposted..

RELATED LINKS..
# Y-symbol at Chicago Cultural Center..
# Y-symbol [inverted] at City Hall-County Building..
# Y-symbol at Chicago Theater marquee
# Y-symbol at the Civil Engineering Monument of the Millennium..
# Y-symbol at Grant Park..
# Y-symbol [inverted] at [Former] Engine Company 104..
# Y-symbol at Harold Washington Library Center..
# Y-symbol on LaSalle Street bridge..
# Y-symbol at Franklin Street bridge..
# Y-symbol at Millennium Park [light-fixtures]..
# Y-symbol at Millennium Park [Wrigley Square]..
# Y-symbol at the Rookery..
# Y-symbol at Riverwalk Gateway..

LSE: 2010 [Goddess of Wind and Sand - by S. Thomas Scarff]..

Goddess of Wind and Sand..
By S. Thomas Scarff..
Description: 15’ x 7.5’ x 3’ / Bronze & Aluminum
Sponsor: Resurrection St Joseph Hospital..
Location: Diversey and Inner Lake Shore Drive
Lakefront Sculptor Exhibit [LSE] - 2010..





From the Lakefront Sculpture Exhibit website..
His new work, “Goddess of the Wind and Sand,” is about standing directly in the wind and defying the elements. Conceived for an urban setting the piece was intended to capture the moment of truth just as the wind blows and lifts your scarf into the air.
Scarff is an expert in the usage of light in sculpture. Although separate from the electrical grid, “Goddess” is an exploration of sculptures’ ability to electrify and illuminate themselves. As a result the bronze and aluminum work is a shimmering, fluid creation with a twenty-four hour presence...

RELATED LINKS:
# Lakefront Sculpture Exhibit.. click here ...
# Official website of Lakefront Sculpture Exhibit, click here ..

Chicago South / Memorial to the Fallen 21 and Chicago Firefighters - by S. Thomas Scarff..

Memorial to the Fallen 21 and Chicago Firefighters

Sculptor: S. Thomas Scarff

Dedicated: Dec 22, 2004

Prior to Sep 11, the nation's deadliest fire, at one place, was the Dec 22, 1910 fire at the Chicago Stockyards. It killed 21 Chicago firefighters, including Fire Marshall James Horan.

Chicago South / Union Stock Yard Gate

Union Stock Yard Gate..
Address: Exchange Ave. at Peoria St.
Year Built: 1875
Architect: Burnham & Root
Date Designated a Chicago Landmark: February 24, 1972..
Added to the National Register of Historic Places: December 27, 1972..
Designated a National Historic Landmark: May 29, 1981..

Lincoln Park / Freedom Fighter - by S. Thomas Scarff

Freedom Fighter - by Thomas Scarff

Freedom Fighter is a fountain-&-sculpture set with

Freedom fountain and Fighter sculpture.

Both the sculpture and the fountain are made by Thomas S. Scarff

Location: Intersection of N. Clark Street and W. Wisconsin Streets

Lincoln Park

The making of "Bulldog and Hydrant", by Marshall Svendsen.. [Part-I]

Bulldog and Hydrant, by Marshall Svendsen..


Marshall Svendsen..

Casting a metal sculpture is a long process, very physically demanding and also a very lonely process and has to be very carefully conducted. There 's a lot of scope for mishaps. If done with care and attention, the final sculpture will last for centuries to come.. Hats off to all the sculptors out there!!!
My Special Thanks goes to Marshall Svendsen, for giving me this privilege of photographing and documenting the process. There were some long phone calls on understanding the stages. I think, I finally get it!!!


Click on the above image to enlarge..
The bronze sculpture "Bulldog and Hydrant" went through many different stages. The "Lost Wax method" of bronze casting was used. The many different steps in the making of this sculpture is explained below.. The above image is a visual guide to the process in a nutshell.. Click on the image to enlarge and and see the stages..
Stage I: Sketch Stage..
Stage II: Maquette Stage..
Stage III: Foam Model..
Stage IV: Rubber & Plaster Mold..
Stage V: Wax Mold..
Stage VI: Ceramic Mold [destroyed in the making of the sculpture]..
Stage VII: Final bronze cast sculpture, which had to be welded, chased, textured and patinaed..

THE LOST WAX METHOD OF CASTING A BRONZE SCULPTURE..


THE ORIGINAL SKETCH..
Bulldog and Hydrant is a commissioned work.. Marshall was approached with a very clear guideline of what was to be made, an English Bulldog urinating on a fire hydrant.. This was the original sketch he produced, which was approved..


MAQUETTE ..
When this small-scale model was approved, it was time for the first full scale model of the sculpture..


THE LOST WAX METHOD OF CASTING A BRONZE SCULPTURE..
FOAM MODEL / POSITIVE MODEL..
A bronze sculpture is made in many stages.. Here is the original model made from foam. The original model can be made of clay, wood or any other material..


RUBBER MOLD / NEGATIVE MOLD..
The original model is coated with rubber. When the rubber dries, a protective reinforced plaster is built around the pliable rubber, to support it. This protective plaster mold is called the "Mother Mold".. The mold is done in several sections. Like the torso, legs and head have seperate molds..


WAX MODEL / POSITIVE MODEL..
Molten wax [210 degree F] is poured into the rubber mold. The hot wax is rolled or slushed around, for the wax to settle evenly. The process is repeated a few times to get the desired thickness. The wax model is a very important stage. Attention is given to all the details. Any flaw at this stage will show later in the bronze sculpture..
For more, click here..
SPRUCING THE WAX MODEL..
A network of wax rods or sprues are attached to the wax model, that create gates and vents for the molten bronze to flow and air to escape. The sprucing system usually begins at the top with a wax cup, which is attached by wax rods to various parts of the wax model.

INVESTING / CERAMIC SHELL..
The spruced wax is dipped into vats of slurry and then dried on sand. This makes a ceramic shell around the wax model. The shell is allowed to dry. This process is repeated a few time for desired thickness [about 1/2 inch]. Thus a thin coat of ceramic shell is built around the wax mold.

HOLLOW CERAMIC SHELL/ BURNT OUT/ LOST WAX/ NEGATIVE MOLD..
The ceramic shell coated wax model is placed cup-down in a kiln. The heat hardens the silica shell and the wax melts and runs out. Thus the name "Lost Wax Method". The melted wax can be recovered and reused. Now what remains is a negative space inside a ceramic shell, formerly occupied by wax. This empty hollow space will later be filled with molten bronze.


BRONZE POUR / METAL POUR
The shell is reheated in a kiln, with cup-upwards. Molten bronze [1950 - 2150 degree F] is poured into the cup. Then it is allowed to cool down..

RELEASE..
When the shell cools off, it is carefully chiselled out, using basic tools like hammer, uncovering the bronze casting. The sprues are cut-off. The pieces can be sand blasted..


METAL WELDING..
The bronze cast pieces are welded together.. Finally a complete sculpture comes to shape..


METAL CHASING..
Then the traces of welding has to removed by blending and texturing..The telltale signs of casting process are removed, like the attachment points of spruces are blended, any marks of air bubbles are smoothed, the welding marks are blended.. and the sculpture is given the desired texture..
For more, click here..


PATINA..
Patina is the surface color of bronze. It can be natural or man-made. Here we are talking about the man-made patina, as a result of reaction of copper with chemicals.. These chemicals were sprayed on the sculptural piece and then the piece was torch-heated, for the chemical reaction to expedite.. The process was repeated over and over again..to get the desired result..
For more, click here..


"Bulldog and Hydrant" by Marshall Svendsen, is finally complete, ready to be installed..


It reads..
Bulldog and Hydrant
Cast bronze, 2010
Svendsen, Marshall
American Sculptor, b 1980
Dedicated to Ruth Helen Wolf, and,
her long-time counselor and friend Harry C. Benford, III..


Feels like I have done a commercial for True Form Productions..


In the photo, Marshall Svendsen is to the right and his brother Jarrett Svendsen is to the left..

Related links..
# Making of "Bulldog and Hydrant" [Part-I] ..
# Making of "Bulldog and Hydrant" [Part-II]..
# Making of "Bulldog and Hydrant" [Part-III]..
# Making of "Bulldog and Hydrant" [Part-IV]..
# Metal Pour at True Form Production..