Kansas Snapshots by Gloria Freeland - September 20, 2024

Unique mementos

Last June, husband Art and I vacationed in the Welsh village of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant as we had for several years. One evening we stopped at the pub to wet our whistle with friends Lins and John, when someone mentioned the local foundry. What foundry? The village is so small the Hand Inn is its only pub, so how could we have missed a foundry?

We hadn't paid it any attention despite passing it countless times because from the road it looked like a somewhat run-down car repair shop. But when we were told it ships bronze sculptures across the globe, a visit was warranted!

Daughter Mariya and wife Miriam came to spend time with us a few days later. Mariya has a fine arts degree in graphic design and Miriam has created many small sculptures, including figures for their wedding and gifts for family and friends. The two were ideal foundry-touring companions.

Richard Turner was our knowledgeable and friendly guide. He mentioned some of the company's well-known bronze sculptures, such as Diana Princess of Wales at Kensington Palace in London, the Beatles in Liverpool, and Muhammad Ali, which has been exhibited in London, Liverpool and Doha, Qatar. Others include the "Welsh Dragon" at the Welsh Memorial for World War I in Flanders, Belgium, and Elaine Morgan - one of the five sculptures in the "Monumental Welsh Women" series - in Mountain Ash, Wales. They range from those requiring a flat bed truck to move to others that fit in the palm of the hand.

Chris Butler started Castle Fine Arts Foundry in 1990 in a small shed on the grounds of nearby Chirk Castle, hence the company's name. A year later, it moved to Llanrhaeadr as more space was needed. Behind the shop with the modest-looking frontage are several additional buildings. Turner said one had housed Italian POWs during World War II, according to a local. After the war, some of the structures were used as chicken sheds until the foundry took over.

In 2008, the company received the British Small Business Champion award from the Federation of Small Businesses, and in 2010, it hosted a celebration in Llanrhaeadr to commemorate 20 years of work and to thank the local people who made its success possible. Today, the company employs about 50 people with 30 of those at the main foundry and headquarters in Llanrhaeadr.

Every piece the foundry makes is artist-commissioned. Turner said there are normally around 150-250 pieces in process. The typical lead time is about 12 weeks, depending on size. Last year, the company completed more than 800 works.

Turner explained they first work with the artist on his or her vision of a piece. Then the artist creates a model in wax. Next, it is reapeatedly dipped in a creamy slurry of plaster and sand. Once it is of adequate thickness, it is heated and the wax melts and runs outs, giving rise to the name “lost-wax process.” The inside surface of the hardened shell is now like the outside of the wax model. Liquid bronze is then poured into the shell. After it cools, the shell is cut off and the sculpture remains. It is buffed and, if desired, a patina is added, using chemical processes. Two additional steps are required if the casting is to be hollow or the original model is to be preserved.

We took many photos, but Turner asked us not to take pictures of the privately-commissioned pieces in progress. He said most artists don't want their work revealed to the public until the official unveiling.

Art took a photo of me with the "Looking for Inspiration" work of a woman's head and one of a life-sized Muhammad Ali.

Inside the office was a bronze of the Beatles, a scaled replica of the life-sized original displayed in Liverpool. I knew my brother Dave, a Beatles fan, would be interested, so I texted him a photo. I was tempted to get it as a gift, but at £800 pounds - about $1,000 - decided it was a bit too steep.

Turner said the foundry offers free blocks of wax to those interested in trying their hand at creating their own pieces and having the foundry cast them in bronze. Founder Butler’s blog explained why:

... It wasn't generosity or clever marketing. Simply, I enjoyed demonstrating the techniques, explaining the qualities of the material I worked with every day. It seemed a fair and natural thing to do. That's what you get from an enthusiast. The simple pleasure of playing with a material and the uncontrollable desire to share it with others. ...

Mariya and Miriam immediately accepted the free-wax offer. By the next day, they were already working with the wax, carefully following instructions to ensure they stayed within the 5 mm minimum and 25 mm maximum thickness. Mariya fashioned a "chakram" - the weapon of choice of Xena, one of her favorite fictional characters. Miriam sculpted an otter lying on its back reading a book while wearing earphones because she likes otters, reading, and listening to music. When they submitted their creations, they were told the finished products would take several weeks.

Then, they were off to London on their several-day adventure in the city. While there, they saw the Diana Princess of Wales sculpture and other examples of the company's work.

In mid-August, their bronzes arrived in Kansas. The total cost, including shipping, was £318 - about $400. Mariya and Miriam said it was well worth it as they are unique mementos of their trip to the UK.

What began as a casual conversation in a small village pub led to the tour by Turner and his welcoming co-workers. The visit was one of our most memorable travel experiences, a unique memento for us as well.