Project Honors Seminole Indian Cultural Heritage
You are cordially invited to Attend
The opening event of Florida Heritage month March 15, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. will take place in Tallahassee, when Secretary of State Sue Cobb, and Seminole Tribe President/Vice-Chairman Moses Osceola will welcome the public to the dedication of the second of four groups of Life-size bronze figural sculptures, installed on the grounds of the R. A. Gray building 500 South Bronough Street home of the Florida Museum of History in Tallahassee.
Reception immediately following in the R.A. Gray building Heritage Gallery
By Florida artists, Bradley Cooley and Bradley Cooley, Jr. of Lamont Florida
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Seminole Family is a cast bronze sculpture depicting a Seminole family circa 1830.
Measurements are made from the toes to the head of each figure to be sculpted marked and cut in metal Then each piece welded into the stick figure form as shown above. Metal lath is cut into strips and bent and wrapped into place for holding the clay.
Clay is cut into strips, heated and applied as a foundation over the armature of metal. More and more clay is applied and muscles are skillfully modeled. After weeks of getting the anatomy perfect on each figure, clothes are sculpted in clay one layer at a time. Seminole clothing from leggings, Big shirt, turban, moccasins and accoutrements are formed to become a life-like recreation of a Seminole family. To ensure accuracy Seminole leaders are consulted before finalizing all details in clothing and spiritual symbols. The process is quite wonderful to watch from a piece of clay into a statue in bronze which will honor the culture for present and future generations to enjoy.
When the clay figures are complete to the last detail of hair, skin and clothing, they are prepared for casting by master mold-maker Carla Knight of Denver. The molds of the figures are shipped to the foundry, Bronze Services , in Loveland, Colorado, where wax is poured into the rubber molds to get a positive image that a ceramic mold is made over. The ceramic molds are fired to remove the wax and molten bronze is poured in at approx. 2000 degrees F. After cleaning, welding the pieces together, and grinding the welds, the patina is applied. Patina will be applied by Patrick Kipper of Loveland Colorado .
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