What is pewter? It is a high-quality metal alloy consisting mainly of tin, mixed with small amounts of metals such as bismuth, copper and silver.
Is your pewter lead free? Yes, all of our sculptures and jewelry are made from lead-free pewter.
Do you work individually or together on designs? Both. We begin the creative process by working individually to develop an initial concept. Once the idea is born, we begin to sculpt the clay original. It can take a day or up to a few weeks to get the clay sculpture nearly completed. At that point, we begin to share our creations with each other. This is the most important step in the creation process because it always leads to valuable feedback and fine-tuning to make the designs just right!
How do you create the final sculptures? We hand-sculpt the original design out of clay. The clay piece is fired and finely sanded. Our intensive two mold process begins with a hand built RTV rubber mold. We sink the clay model into this low vacuum mold to ensure that a detailed impression is made. Next, we inject molten pewter to produce metal models. We then hand-build an intricate multi-piece black rubber mold that fits around the models like a 3-D puzzle. Through centrifugal casting, 450 degree molten pewter is hand-poured into the rapidly spinning mold, forcing the liquid metal in to create the finest impression.
After cooling, the pewter pieces are removed from the rubber and cleaned with hand tools. Next, they are dipped into a natural oxidation solution and meticulously hand-polished on a finishing wheel. Hand-painted enamel eyes and other colorful accents bring each piece to life.
The Painted Pewter Collection pieces go through the same casting process but are finished differently. Over a two day period, three to four layers of high-end paints are applied over the pewter. A protective clear coat seals in the paints for a lifetime of enjoyment.