G
allery and Gardens
The Brett Garling Gallery is situated in the rural village of Wongarbon, 15 km east of Dubbo on the Mitchell Hwy.
The fully restored 100yr old shop front adds historical charm and warmth to the collection of original oils, water colours, pencil and bronze sculpture.
The artists studio makes an interesting visit with works in progress at various stages of completion.
The Gallery collection encourages collectors and investors alike, with clientele taking full advantage of commission free prices.
Gallery Hours-
Tues - Fri 10-4pm
Sat 10-1pm
Or by appointment.
A Unique Experience
With much pleasure, Garling Gallery offer the opportunity for visitors to witness the pouring of bronze sculpture. "Mon" gives a step by step instructional explanation of the lost wax casting method, starting with the construction of a sculpture and finishing with a bronze pour in the foundry sculpture gardens of the gallery.
The experience isd made palatable with scones, tea and coffee. The demonstration lasting two hours is run regularly throughout the year.
Booking are essential and can be made by contacting us or through phoning the gallery on 02 6887 8518
Foundry
The bronze casting process is a long and intensive procedure. In order to gain an appreciation of the extensive process of bronze sculpture one must start at the beginning.
The initial idea is transformed from a mental image to firstly a small miniature in clay. When the idea is roughed out, and its proportions and dynamics finalised, the task of sculpting in earnest starts.
Firstly an armature must be constructed ( usually made of wire or metal rod) which acts as a skeletal structure upon which the sculpture is formed. Using modelling clay the sculpture takes form from the inside out, building bone structure, muscle and skin over the armature.
Once the sculpture has been completed the piece is coated in five layers of silicon rubber. Quite often the sculpture must be moulded in sections according to its complexity. Next a plastic or fibre glass mother mould is constructed over the rubber mould. This helps the rubber mould hold its shape after the moulds removal from the sculpture.
The sculpture is then de-moulded and a wax replica is then taken from the silicon mould. The wax replica is then sectioned and a system of wax rods ( known as gates) are attached to allow bronze to flow into the piece and gasses to be released. The now gated pieces are dipped into a ceramic slurry, made of a refractory flour and colloidal silica liquid. While wet the piece is coated wwith a fine refractory sand. This process is repeated eight to nine times until a thick ceramic shell is developed.
Once completely dry the ceramic mould is placed into a de-waxing kiln where the wax is melted out under high temperature ( lost wax method) hardening the ceramic mould and eliminating any wax.
The ceramic shell is now ready to take the bronze which is heated to 1200oc.
The pouring procedure is done under high temperature and with precision timing. Once the bronze is poured into the ceramic shells it is allowed to cool. The shell is then broken away, using hammers, chisels and sand blasting, to reveal the raw bronze.
The now bronze gates must be removed using grinders and hacksaws. All pieces are then welded back together and the the weld seams are removed in a process known as fetling, which uses die grinders, chisels and various custom tools to replicate surface details.
The bronze is now ready to be sand blasted, cleaning its surface of any residual matter, before it is heated with a blow torch and given a chemical patina ( colouring) to the desired finish.
Finally the piece is waxed and polished.
The entire process often taking several months.