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At The Foundry
THE ART FOUNDRY, INC. in Sacramento, California, (artfoundryinc@aol.com, www.artfoundryinc.com or 916.444.2787) is literally one of the hottest spots in town. Inside, bronze ingots are heated to 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit and poured, like glowing lava, into waiting ceramic molds. Once cooled and hammered loose from their shells, the pieces move through the finishing process to emerge as timeless works of art.
Alan Osborne, regarded by many as a modern bronze master, opened the Foundry in 1979. Since then, he and his crew have cast and finished thousands of sculptures – some small and delicate and others larger than life. Some are commissions from private clients and others are destined to be monumental public art. Some come from acclaimed sculptors and other pieces are created by emerging artists. No matter the creator or the size, each piece demands individual attention as it moves from molten metal to finished bronze.
To ensure that ancient bronze casting remains vital and alive, Osborne offers classes at the Foundry. The six-week sessions attract aspiring artists from all age groups, abilities and backgrounds. And, once a month, the Foundry crew puts on a public show, demonstrating a bronze pour on Saturday nights when Sacramento galleries remain open for touring. In this way, the Foundry educates people and creates new artists while serving its clients.
Osborne also opened one of the city’s premier galleries adjacent to the Foundry. Many of the region’s most accomplished artists such as Gregory Kondos, Peter VandenBerge, Bruce Beasley, Richard Hunt, John Battenberg, Mark Bowles, Shray, and the late Peter Volkos show at the Art Foundry Gallery. Only a door separates this elegant gallery space from the noisy clamor and dust that characterizes the foundry.
Most of the foundry workers are also artists – and they treat each piece they work on as if it was their own. They clean, grind, cut, sand and polish until the work is ready to receive the finishing touch - a patina that will give it its luster and color. Chemistry, heat and experience dictate the result of the patina process and Osborne is known to be one of the best in the business.
Over the years, the Art Foundry has built a solid reputation with sculptors worldwide. But, famous or yet-to-be discovered, each artist gets equal attention at the Foundry under the guidance of Osborne and in the hands of his skilled Foundry team.
The Art Foundry Gallery
At the hub of Sacramento’s burgeoning art district, the Art Foundry Gallery is known for stimulating shows from some of the country’s finest working artists. From modern abstract paintings and edgy sculptures to contemporary realism, the Art Foundry presents exciting work from accomplished artists such as Shray, Gregory Kondos and the late-Peter Volkos, as well as new talent emerging to become tomorrow’s icons. The adjacent working foundry also offers a rare glimpse of the bronze process on the second Saturday of each month when the public is invited to watch a live “bronze” pour.
Contact the Art Foundry at artfoundryinc@aol.com, www.artfoundryinc.com or 916.444.2787.
