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Swinging Girl

 - Russ Faxon
Sculpture (INTERIOR)

About the Artwork

I use the ages old casting process known as "Lost Wax". Each sculpture is originally made in clay. Once the clay figure is complete, a rubber mold is made around the clay figure to capture every detail of the work. The rubber mold is removed from the clay figure and used to recreate the original clay figure in wax. The wax duplicate is then "chased", seems, lines and imperfections repaired. Wax rods or "gaits" are attached to the wax figure and are united at a central "spru cup". A ceramic shell mold is made around the gated wax figure and placed in a burn out furnace of 1500 degrees Fahrenheit to melt out all the wax. Two thousand degree molten bronze is then poured into the ceramic shell mold to recreate every detail of the wax model. Once the bronze has cooled sufficiently, the shell mold is broken off to reveal the casting. The gaits are cut off and any defects in the casting repaired. It is then cleaned and acid patina applied to give the sculpture color. Wax is applied for protection and highlight, then mounted on an appropriate base. Each reproduction of a figure must be reproduced in wax from the original rubber mold that was made from the original clay figure. This makes each bronze reproduction unique and of itself.

About the Artist

Russ Faxon
Russell Faxon was born in Independence, Missouri in 1951 and was raised in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He attended Memphis State University on a football scholarship and received a B.A. degree in art education from Western Kentucky University in 1973. After teaching in the Metropolitan Nashville School System, from 1974-1976, Mr. Faxon traveled to Italy pursuing his love of sculpture. For six months he created sculpture at the Mariani Foundry in Pietrasanta. While in Italy he was able to study and experience the works of "The Masters" of sculpture and the Arts. He also began to learn the fine art of bronze casting for the development of his sculpture. Upon returning to the U.S. Mr. Faxon continued his sculpture career with gallery exhibits in Chicago, Philadelphia, Connecticut, and Louisville. He moved to Bell Buckle, Tennessee in 1979 to serve as resident artist at the Webb School. He established his home and business, Selah Studio, in the historic pre-civil war area of the town. There he continues the development of his limited edition bronze figures through the process known as "Lost Wax". Mr. Faxon's creations range in size from table models to monumental and are in private and corporate collections across the United States and Europe, which include Barbara Mandrell, Abilene Christian University, Lloyds of London, Calsonic International, The State of Tennessee, Northern Telecom, Inc., The Korean War Memorial of Tennessee, the City of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Minnie Pearl and Roy Acuff for Opryland, USA, Cracker Barrel Inc., Tullahoma Fine Arts Center, Bank of America and CNL Corporation of Orlando, Florida