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The acquisition of contemporary sculpture can add great pleasure and delight to your life, broadening your appreciation of the intellectual and aesthetic potential of the three-dimensional world. The possibilities are endless as to scale, materials, content and a myriad of style and techniques, allowing the buyer great freedom of choice. This adds to the excitement and pleasure of selecting sculpture, but such an array of choices can also be bewildering (of course they are quickly reduced by your taste, budget, the setting and space limitations).
The purpose of this section of our website is to give you basic information to assist you in making rewarding decisions. Be assured that further inquiries by email, mail or telephone are always welcome.
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HOW A SCULPTURE IS MADE: The price of contemporary work is set by the artist and depends on many factors. How a sculpture is produced is an important consideration in its price. Whether the artist crafts the work in person or has it fabricated or cast by a professional facility- or is able, as a student or instructor, to use the schooläs facilities- all help determine the cost of the work. The techniques chosen in the fabrication and the finish (especially for outdoor works) determine the time spent. The type, quantity and specific grade of the material used all have an effect on cost. But the actual time involved in creating the piece and the materials used are only two factors.
ARTIST CAREER: The artist's skill and career are major factors in appraising a work of art. An artist who is beginning to exhibit (emerging) is typically accepted in art centers, universities and small, local galleries only, regardless of the quality of the work. The next step (mid-career) is to show with established galleries in metropolitan areas and local museums and enter competitions to obtain commissions and awards. These steps are very time-consuming and costly, especially for a sculptor who needs to consider the cost of crating and shipping the work over vast distances. When the artist is juried into shows at larger commercial galleries and museums and is the subject of art reviews or is published in catalogues, the demand generally increases as the work gets exposure to a larger public. It takes a lot of work (and connections in the Art world), besides the conceiving and making of art, for an artist to reach the point of a major retrospective at a New York museum!
SUPPLY AND DEMAND: The availability of the work in relationship to the demand influences the price as well. The last piece in a small limited edition bronze, for instance, is usually priced 10 to 20% higher than the others in the same edition. Henry Moore drove up the price of his sculpture by allowing only a fraction of his works to sell each year. Collectors wishing to acquire a piece had to get on a waiting list!
THE WORK'S IMPORTANCE: The importance of the specific sculpture within the sculptor's body of work is also taken into consideration in pricing a sculpture. This work may have won a prestigious award or have been included in a major museum exhibit. You may be looking at a sculpture that culminates years of work in a series. The artist may have just completed this breakthrough piece combining elements of earlier works, brought together for the first time; those earlier works may not have sold, yet they had to be created for the seminal masterpiece to emerge.
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a new leaf gallery | sculpturesite has assembled sculpture by some of the finest living artists. We frequently visit museums, galleries and sculptors' studios in all parts of the United States to look at new work. In addition, hundreds of sculptors contact us from around the world requesting our representation. We review thousands of mailed and e-mailed images annually to choose the most original contemporary works with the best design and craftsmanship.
We select the sculptors we wish to partner with based on artistic excellence and the artist's resume. Most of our sculptors have been included in fine art gallery shows and museum exhibitions in different regions of the United States and in other parts of the world. Their works have also been acquired by private, corporate and/or public collectors. On some occasions, we choose to represent emerging sculptors whose vision is fresh and who have potential to become respected, established artists. Their work must be of high artistic merit and crafted with stellar workmanship.
After a sculptor has been selected, each piece we choose to display is carefully chosen for its intrinsic artistic value and craftsmanship, ensuring that all art selected is of the highest quality. We have exhibited most of the works displayed on our website in our galleries over the past 20 years, so we know the sculptures intimately and in person. This is why we guarantee the quality of the work we feature, unconditionally.
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OUTFITTING A STUDIO: Most sculptors cannot work on their kitchen table. They require large studio spaces equipped with expensive tools and safety equipment is often a must. Utilities and insurance costs can be very high. When dealing with heavy materials, such as stone or heavy gauge metal, sculptors may need forklifts, hydraulic lifts and sometimes cranes.
TIME AND MATERIALS: Materials can be very expensive. There are for instance over 20 grades of stainless steel, but only the highest grades will not rust under constant exposure to water. Archie Held, who creates fountains of exceptional beauty, uses only the best grades in his stainless steel water sculpture. Three-dimensional works may require many hours of design, engineering, precise fabrication and laborious finishing. Sculptors are often perfectionists and committed artists spend countless hours working out the details of their sculpture. Gale Wagner, who considers the final finish surface as important as the form, has used over twenty layers of paint on some of his sculpture. You could not count the layers, yet you can appreciate how perfectly the matte surface reflects the sky.
CREATING A BODY OF WORK: Very few sculptors sell all the works that they make and unlike a painting, a sculpture cannot just be whited out to start over. Even if a sculptor produces mostly site specific commissions, he or she also has to make some pieces on speculation since gallery curators and collectors have to see a body of work before making a selection. The investment can be phenomenal, especially if professional fabrication or casting is involved.
MAKING A LIVING FROM ART: A very small percentage of gifted, professional artists make a decent living from their art and unfortunately, most artists never find a personal art patron. In order to devote a lifetime to the pursuit of their passion, most sculptors must also teach or depend on other sources of income.
MANY YEARS OF TRAINING: When looking at a piece of sculpture, you may not always be aware of all these layers of cost, but please remember that in order to create this particular work of art, a highly imaginative and talented professional has spent many years of study and practice.
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ORIGINAL CONCEPT: Creating a three-dimensional object from an artistic vision involves many more steps than creating a two-dimensional work. Some sculptors produce great quantities of sketches in pencil or ink, sometimes in color. They often make small maquettes (which are equivalent to three-dimensional sketches) to work out the aspects of the sculpture from different viewpoints. Others use computer technology to explore 3D models, especially useful for kinetic works. Occasionally, a full size mock-up is created. In all cases, sculptors expect surprises and challenges as the work develops at full scale.
CHOOSING A MATERIAL AND TECHNIQUE: The original concept dictates the appropriate sculpture medium. A large, fluid figure conceived as an outdoor piece has to be cast, most likely in bronze. A geometric abstract work will mot likely be fabricated from sheets of metal. The type of finish desired, weight and cost will help determine whether mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, bronze or titanium is used. Creating sculpture requires a prodigious set of skills and many years of training as well as specific tools. Some sculptors have chosen one medium for their entire body of work, because they have achieved a high degree of control of certain techniques and thus they can best express their vision through this medium. A sculptor wishing to work in a reductive method, such as carving, will choose solid blocks of wood or stone. One who prefers the additive process of construction might, for example, weld steel or work in clay.
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GLOSSARY OF SCULPTURE TERMS
Abstract
Abstract art is defined as art that has no reference to any figurative reality. In its wider definition the term describes art that depicts real forms in a simplified or rather reduced way - keeping only an allusion of the original natural subject.
Anheal
To heat glazes or glass and then slowly cool them to toughen and reduce brittleness.
Artist's proof
Technically one of the first proofs in a limited edition of original sculptures, but in some cases the artist proofs are created after the edition numbers have sold out. Must bear the artist's signature or mark, and, since the early 20th century, is usually numbered as part of a fine art edition and should be limited to two per edition.
Base
Also called plinth. The base is what the sculpture is attached, fixed or mounted on. A block (of any shape or dimension and material placed between a sculpture and its pedestal). These terms can all be confused as a pedestal is also defined as a base or foundation.
Blown Glass
Glass made from blowing a glass bubble on the end of a hollow tube. An artisan may then shape it by spinning, rolling and pinching with iron tools to make a vase, bottle, glass or other object. Alternatively, the bubble may be placed into a hollow mold and further blown until it expands into all of the details of the mold.
Bronze
An alloy of copper and tin, sometimes containing small amounts of other elements in varying proportions such as zinc, silicone and phosphorus. Harder and more durable than brass and used extensively since antiquity for casting sculpture. Bronze alloys vary in color from silvery hues to rich, coppery red. Different countries have different standards for the mix - and mixes also may vary from one foundry to another. In its molten form, bronze is poured into the main channel or sprue of an investment casing surrounding the wax of a sculpture to produce the final cast piece of artwork. Dimensioned bronze sheets can also be used to fabricate sculpture.
Casting
The process of making a mould (plaster, or rubber, polymer and plaster, etc.) from an original, then creating a wax, investment, and pouring molten metal. Generally bronze but also glass, aluminum, iron, or stainless steel. Precious metal (silver, gold, and platinum) are also cast.
Conceptual
Conceptual art is art in which the concept(s) or idea(s) involved in the work take precedence over traditional aesthetic and material concerns.
Coil Building
Coiling is a hand building technique used to make pots. Plastic ‘snakes’ of clay are used. They can vary from a thin strip to a large sausage like strip. It is hand manipulated, pinched and squashed together to form a pot without the coil like look from how it was started, though in some cases the clay can be left snakelike for the decorative look. Typically this is started at the base of the pot and built upwards.
Cones
Pyrometric cones are composed of clay and glaze material, and are designed to melt and bend at specific temperatures to determine the conditions of a kiln. Cones are a better indicator than temperature alone as the degree of glaze melt is a combination of time and temperature heat work. A fast firing needs to go to a higher temperature to get the same results as a slow firing to a lower temperature. Low fired ceramics are generally fired to Cone 1 or 2, high fired can go to cone 6 to 10.
Core
In sculpture, the core is the solid internal portion of an investment mould for casting a hollow piece of sculpture (such as a portrait). The amount of space left between the core and the mould (occupied by wax before it is "lost), determines the thickness of the cast metal. The core is made of foundry sand (can also be same as investment material) in sand casting and in the lost-wax process.
Figurative
Of or portraying the (human or animal) figure. Figurative sculpture can be either realistic (in varying degrees...) or stylized.
Firing
Exposing to heat in a kiln a clay body to harden it or an investment casing containing wax so as to "lose it" which is an integral part of the lost-wax process . See Foundry.
Foundry
The building or place where the casting of bronze takes place by the lost-wax, sand casting or ceramic shell processes. Typically a foundry will have subdivisions of activities taking place. Most often these break down to mould making or the making of a negative container, then the pouring of wax into the moulds, cleaning up the seams from the wax, then making a core, spruing and gating the wax cast of the sculpture with wax strips or rods (sprues and gates) which will ensure the smooth arrival of the molten metal into the negative space formed when the wax is "lost", encasing the entire piece into an investment, then "losing" the wax out of the invested piece by firing it, finally pouring the molten bronze into the main sprue, hacking away the investment material, cutting off the bronze sprues and gates, chasing away any other unwanted bronze (or filling in any holes), chiseling, and then either polishing, or applying a patina and or wax to the sculpture. Mounting the final piece on a base is sometimes also an intricate part of the foundry's work. Foundries will often assist a sculptor with the installation and securing of large pieces.
Gate
In casting, any of the several channels or ducts through which molten material is carried from the main channel or sprue, to the hollow part of the investment mould or casing and through which the gases escape. The waste piece of material formed by such a duct is also called a gate, and is removed from the cast metal along with the sprue as the first stage of cleaning up the sculpture. A gate is also sometimes called a runner.
Glaze
A layer of ceramic or glass that is fused onto the surface of the clay of a pot or ceramic piece. Used to seal the piece, decorate it, or both.
Installation
Refers to a type of sculpture that consists of a group of elements needing an environment, also the term used to place and secure a sculpture.
Investment
A containing negative mould, used in sculpture for casting metals. It consists of either earth clay and sand or plaster of Paris mixed with clay, pulverized plaster, asbestos fibers and glue size when mixed up for the lost-wax process. Also sometimes called casing. The wax is dipped separately into baths of different density to create the investment. After the wax is burnt out, the investment receives the molten metal.
Kinetic
Art that incorporates actual movement as part of the design.
Limited edition
The set number of replicas or copies a sculptor plans to make or has had made from an original, after which the mould is destroyed. The practice of limiting editions and numbering proofs originated with etching and drypoint, in which the quality of the proofs declines as the copper plate begins to show signs of wear. By thus limiting the size of an edition to first-rate examples of a sculptor's work, the sculptor protects his or her artistic integrity and the value of the works to the collector. There is no technical reason for limiting or numbering editions of works of art that are made by processes capable of turning out an indefinite number of uniformly good copies, such as lithography or casting methods that employ durable moulds - and in any case a new mould can be taken from the original to extend an edition (if not limited). Editions are frequently limited however for financial reasons; by ensuring the relative rarity of the sculptor's work, he or she increases its value. In Europe, fine art editions are generally limited to a max of 9, in the US, to a maximum of 12, plus 1 or 2 artist proofs and occasionally 1 or 2 foundry proofs.
Mixed Media
The term is generally used when two or more media are used in a single work of art, e.g. metal and wood, or metal, wood and stone. Mixed media include plastics, fibers, and any man-made or natural element that can be used to model or otherwise construct a sculpture.
Medium
Referred to as the material used for a given sculpture. Bronze, terra cotta, plaster and steel are all examples of media.
Model - Modeling
The process whereby a sculptor adds wet clay or other soft medium such as wet plaster or cement or other media to build up or construct his or her original artwork - often using an armature. It is essentially an additive, not a substractive process as contrasted with carving, though substraction can also be and is often used in the process of achieving the desired shapes.
Multimedia sculpture
Multimedia is media that uses multiple forms of information content and information processing (e.g. text, audio, graphics, animation, video, interactivity). Similarly to mixed media art, the artist can combine a number of media in three dimensions to create a sculptural work.
Patina
Patination is enhancement of bronze by the chemical application of color. Three water soluble compounds form the basis for most patinas: Ferric Nitrate produces reds and browns, Cupric Nitrate creates the greens and blues and Sulphurated Potash produces black. Each foundry develops its own proprietary (and carefully guarded) patinas that result from a carefully orchestrated blend of different chemicals, pigments and application technique. Wide ranges of colors, both transparent and opaque, are available to the experienced patineur. The final step is putting a thin coat of clear wax over the bronze to enhance and preserve the patina.
Relief
In sculpture, any work that projects from the background. Reliefs are classified by degree of projection. Relief sculpture is distinguished from sculpture in the round. In a bas relief the figures project only slightly and no part is entirely detached from the background (as in medals, coins, or areas of large reliefs in which the chief effect is produced by the play of light and shadow). In a haut relief sculpture, the figures project at least half of their natural circumference from the background. Between these two is the demi relief (half-relief or mezzo-relievo). The lowest degree of relief in which the projection barely exceeds the thickness of a sheet of paper is called a crushed relief. There is also a relief in reverse, called hollow relief, in which all the carving lies within a hollowed-out area below the surface plane, and which, through an illusion of depth and roundness, looks like raised relief. Reliefs may be carved from hard materials or modelled in wet clay, softened wax, or plaster. Reliefs are often elements of architectural sculpture.
Slab Building
Clay slabs are cut to shape and joined together using scoring and wet clay called slip. Slabs can be draped over or into forms, rolled around cylinders or built-up into geometric forms. Large forms are difficult because of stresses on the seams and because the slab naturally sags. Some potters get around this by working fibers into the clay body. The fibers burn out during the firing, leaving a network of tiny holes.
Sprue
In casting, the entrance hole and main channel in the wall of a mould through which the liquid material (bronze or other metal) is poured; it is joined to the model by smaller channels called gates. The waste material formed by the channel is also called sprue and is cut away after the investment material is removed, as the first step of cleaning up a cast metal sculpture.
Welding
The process of joining together two pieces of metal by fusion. Intense heat is applied by an oxyacetylene torch in gas or oxacetylene welding, and by electrical means in arc welding. Sometimes a filler rod is melted along the joint, in the process known as brazing. The direct welding of two pieces by combining the molten edges is called fusion welding. It is done at much higher temperatures than soldering and results in stronger, more durable joints. It is used in making direct metal sculpture and comes under the general term of assembly - as opposed to carving and modeling.
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Consulting
a new leaf gallery | sculpturesite takes great pleasure in advising on the acquisition of modern and contemporary fine art sculpture. For over 20 years, we have worked with clients to place sculpture in corporate art collections, hotels, hospitals, private collections, medium- to large-scale architectural projects, as well as civic public art displays. We draw on over 20 years of fine art sculpture knowledge and expertise to locate or commission the best possible work for your specific needs. Because we represent over 100 mid-career and prominent established sculptors, and we regularly work with other dealers, galleries and auction houses throughout the United States and Europe, we are able to offer a vast assortment of possible solutions for virtually any art placement situation. Please call us today at 707.933.1300 to discuss fine art sculpture for your project.
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Our Experience
The principals at a new leaf gallery | sculpturesite, John Denning and Brigitte Micmacker, have specialized in contemporary fine art sculpture placement since 1990. They understand that the choices and potential pitfalls can be daunting for the prospective art buyer, and work closely with you so that the process is clear and you are delighted with your final choice. Brigitte and John have placed hundreds of works of art in collections throughout the United States and abroad. They offer over twenty years of experience in the art world, and assist in all aspects of the process and requirements for each client and site, including sourcing, acquisition, delivery, installation, and maintenance. Craftsmanship, durability and safety are always considered in addition to aesthetics.
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Our Selection
In addition to the works offered here on our website, at a new leaf gallery | sculpturesite located in Sonoma, CA, collectors can browse the gallery and surrounding patios and terraces to choose abstract and figurative works in bronze, steel, stainless steel, stone, ceramic, glass and mixed media. The work offered ranges in size from small (maquette) to monumental. We also display kinetic works, water sculptures and fine art furniture at our gallery.
We represent over 100 established sculptors of national and international reputation, who are based in all parts of the United States, Europe, South America and Asia, and we ship and install worldwide. In addition to working directly with artists, we also work with dealers, galleries and auction houses throughout the United States and Europe.
Whether you choose to acquire an existing piece or commission a new work, a new leaf gallery | sculpturesite is the trusted sculpture source for contemporary, museum-quality works for the discriminating corporate and public collector.
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Our Commitment
a new leaf | sculpturesite associates will make sure all phases of a sculpture selection and installation are clearly explained and carried out faultlessly. Your consultant is always available by e-mail or phone to answer any questions.
Process
The artist selection, determination of size needed, budget, safety issues in public spaces and maintenance requirements of the work are discussed. Then, when required, a computer-processed photo image or a scale maquette (model) are produced. All details, including lighting, base or pedestal and engineering, are covered. We cooperate and coordinate with you, your architect, engineer and contractor.
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Public Art Calls For Artists
Cities all over the United States have begun to see the benefits of providing public art: many even require new developments to include outdoor artwork in their plans. At a new leaf gallery | sculpturesite, we enjoy working with city and county arts commissions to select potential artists for public sites, and with developers and architects to identify meaningful sculpture to compliment architectural design projects. We have the expertise to take the process from the initial “call for artists” competition to the actual installation of the sculpture. We privately invite appropriate sculptors to make a presentation for the project, assisting the artists in the preparation of the visuals to encourage participation. City arts committees and developers are presented with viable, substantive proposals and are assured that the entire process, from installation through maintenance, is professionally managed.
“Your gallery’s reputation in the area of outdoor sculpture is excellent. I heartily recommend that any public art commission in need of a wise and energetic gallery’s guidance contact the directors of a new leaf gallery | sculpturesite.”
- Gerald Brett, Palo Alto, CA Arts Commissioner
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Setting a Budget
a new leaf gallery | sculpturesite will work with you to determine an appropriate budget, or work within your already established budget, to find the best possible artwork for your project. We have access to works in every price range and can help estimate all other costs, such as shipping, installation and site preparation.
For commissions, a deposit of half is customary to begin work, with the balance paid upon completion of the piece. You should expect to be charged a separate artist design fee. On larger projects, a customized payment schedule is established and included in the contract.
Full payment is expected upon purchase of an existing work, even if delivery or installation is delayed by the client. Leasing options are also available.
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a new leaf gallery | sculpturesite
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a new leaf gallery | sculpturesite
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at Cornerstone Sonoma
23588 Arnold Drive (Hwy 121)
Sonoma, CA 95476
(707) 933-1300
Hours: Open daily from 10am - 5pm.
Please let us know if you would like any specific information about an artist or sculpture or if you would like to be added to our e-announcement list by sending an email below. Thank you for your interest.
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Our Curatorial Mission Statement
Brigitte Micmacker and John Denning, co-owners of a new leaf gallery | sculpturesite, are committed to bringing strong works of fine art sculpture to the San Francisco Bay Area which energize the space they occupy and reflect the artists’ love for material and form. Whether an internationally renowned artist or a dedicated sculptor who has not yet received the recognition he or she deserves, all of our artists are carefully selected based on their approach to the concept and craft of sculpture and the contribution they are making to the world of contemporary art.
Member of the San Francisco Art Dealers Association (SFADA)
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sculptureWALK
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ARTISTS
INSTRUCTIONS: You can change the text in the 'title' field and the 'Link URL' field to edit the burgundy box on the home page.
If you leave the 'Link URL' field blank, it will link to it's self.
If you put content into the 'Link Name' field it will override the content in the 'Title' field
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Member of the San Francisco Art Dealers Association
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NEW WORKS!
Click below to see the latest works in the gallery and online.
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News - Consolidating galleries to Sonoma
BREAKING NEWS!!! We are consolidating our two galleries to the SONOMA location...
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SEE OUR NEW INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL WALK-THROUGH PANORAMAS!
Sculpturesite Gallery location is now closed. We are the only contemporary sculpture gallery in the San Francisco Bay Area, representing mid-career to established artists working in bronze, ceramic, steel, stainless steel, glass and other media. Located across the street from the Moscone Center and one block from SFMOMA, in the heart of SOMA's Yerba Buena neighborhood, San Francisco's Museum District.
We place works in public, corporate and private collections and arrange commissions for indoor and outdoor locations. We ship worldwide.
Sculpturesite: Convention Plaza :: 201 Third Street, Ste 102,San Francisco, CA 94103
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Sculpturesite Gallery location is now closed. We have consolidated with our sister galley in Sonoma, CA. Please contact us at a new leaf gallery | sculpturesite at 707.933.1300.
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An interview with Jeffery Laudenslager
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Sculpturesite Gallery is Northern California’s only gallery dedicated entirely to modern and contemporary fine art sculpture, representing over forty mid-career to internationally renowned artists. The landmark indoor-outdoor gallery is located one block from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, across the street from the Moscone Convention Center, in the heart of San Francisco’s Museum District. With a downtown plaza showcasing over fifteen large-scale works at any given time, the gallery offers a stunning and unique space for viewing exhibitions of sculpture in an urban setting, transforming a formerly pedestrian setting into a must-see cultural destination. Our hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 12pm to 5pm.
Member of the San Francisco Art Dealers Association SFADA
CURRENT EXHIBITIONS
20TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION, June 12 - August, 2010
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sculptureWALK
a new leaf gallery I sculpturesite is pleased to offer self-guided tours of sculptureWALK, our outdoor exhibit of over 70 diverse works of sculpture displayed on our patios, in the adjacent olive grove, and throughout the Cornerstone Gardens grounds, which is ranked as one of the most innovative garden parks in the United States.
SculptureWALK starts at the parking lot and takes visitors around the gallery and through the gardens to view contemporary abstract and figurative sculptures. The pieces on view range from garden-sized to monumental and are fabricated in bronze, stainless steel, weathering steel, ceramic, and other outdoor-resistant materials. Mesmerizing, wind-activated kinetic sculptures and unique fountains are also on display. All works are for sale and pricing begins at just $3,500. Please request a sculptureWALK guide at the gallery for your self-guided tour.
The next scheduled sculptureWALK guided tour by Brigitte Micmacker, co-owner and curator of a new leaf gallery I sculpturesite and sculptureWALK is Sunday June 2nd at 3:30PM. Cost for the approximately 90 minute tour is $10 per person. Gather beginning at 3PM at the gallery for refreshments before the tour. Please wear walking shoes and sun protection.
Please email or call the gallery to reserve your space.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW A LIST OF THE WORKS IN SCULPTUREWALK
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