Cruisin' Goods - Doug Downs Gallery

I Carve my original sculpture in wax, a material which allows me to achieve the greatest
degree of detail and sculptures that can soar through space. In order to create a limited
edition of bronze sculptures, I take my original waxes and make molds of them. It's a 5-day process which I leaned from master mold-maker/sculptor Chris Davis of Malvern, England.

Every sculpture in each edition begins life as a wax being poured into molds.
The mold material is so sensitive that it will pick up every detail I sculpted in the original.

Click on thumbnails for a larger view.

I melt wax at 180 degrees and pour it into the molds, allow it to harden, then remove the wax model.
With an electric pencil, I remove the seam lines, assemble the parts, and then resculpt these areas
with a carving tool.

I take the wax model to the Monterey Sculpture Center where craftsman John Flury attaches wax cups to act as gates or entrances for the molten bronze. He then covers the wax model with several layers of ceramic slurry gradually built up to form a shell which will be fired in oven and the wax will be melted out - this is why it is called "lost-wax". Every wax is "lost" before the bronze can be poured into the empty shell.
Molten bronze at approximately 2100 degrees - depending on the structure of the sculpture - is poured into the empty shell. The bronze is allowed to cool inside its shell.

I take the raw casting to my shop and "chase" or finish the bronze by resculpting areas where the gates and sprues were attached. For this purpose I use grinders and drills of various sizes. Chasing a single sculpture will take me anywhere from hours to several days depending on the complexity. Most pieces have parts to be assembled, which I do using my arc welder.

After the chasing is complete, I sandblast with a very fine sand which cleans without decreasing the detail. Then I apply a patina - a chemical which reacts with the surface of the bronze to create a permanent change in color. I handrub it to get the effect I'm after. When I'm satisfied, I apply a protective coating of wax. Then I mount the completed sculpture on a hand-crafted wooden base made by artist/craftsman Craig Lauterbach.

This is a lengthy, exacting process we go through for each bronze in every edition that I make.
I do every process myself except the casting. There are no shortcuts to high quality.

The Sculptures

"On the Edge"
by Doug Downs

Lost-wax bronze sculpture

Limited edition of 35

Size: 10" high x 13" long x 7" deep
Bobber itself is 7" long

Includes black walnut base

The custom bobber roars along the edge of the switchblade, balanced precariously on tumbling dice which sit on top of the "Deadman's Hand" (the hand Wild Bill Hickock was dealt just before he was shot - two black aces, two black 8's. The fifth card, faced down is bursting into flames at the corner). The post-World War II style bobber uses a gooseneck rigid frame to hold the panhead engine and kicker transmission. It features a jockey shifter, custom trumpet tailpipes and open primary.

Limited edition bronze sculpture
Price: $2900.00 with free shipping
Special order, please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery

Other views:

"Midnight Rider"
by Doug Downs

Lost-wax bronze sculpture

Limited edition of 35

Size: 17" high x 11" long x 10" deep
Bobber itself is 7" long

Includes black walnut turntable base

The rider on his custom bobber tops the moon, leaving behind memories of lovers on one side of the crescent moon and grinning skulls on the other. The moon rests on two clocks, both at midnight. The clock on the bottom is surrounded by a snake eating its own tail - an ancient symbol of eternity. The post-World War II style bobber features a gooseneck rigid frame, panhead engine, kicker transmission, jockey shifter, and custom trumpet tailpipes.

Limited edition bronze sculpture
Price: $3200.00 with free shipping
Special order, please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery

Other views:

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