Why are you here?
Most probably, you have visited our Pete's Pub and Gallery site and are interested in our Art Foundry. This site is dedicated to the Foundry and what we create. Check our Sculpture photos, you will see some of what we have in our gallery and some of what has been done. Keep in mind that all sculptures are individually handcrafted and all have a unique patina. If you wish to have more information on a sculpture, contact us at [email protected] with the 8 digits code number of the piece and we can further help you. Furthermore, if you would like a commission work, feel free to contact us with your wishes.
Crating and shipping has to be calculated for each case and due to hurricane Dorian, we are experiencing some delays.
Crating and shipping has to be calculated for each case and due to hurricane Dorian, we are experiencing some delays.
Who are we?
The late Randolph W. Johnston settled in Little Harbour, Abaco, in 1952 with his wife Margot and three sons Bill, Dennis and Peter. An artist and professor, he proceeded to create the first and only Art Foundry in the Bahamas.
A few years later, the family was able to create and produce Bronze Sculptures using the ancient technique of the Lost Wax Process. Some of the unique sculptures cast in Little Harbour include the Bust of Sir Milo and the Bahamian Woman on Rawson Square, Sir Pindling at the Nassau International Airport and much more.
When Randolph passed away in 1992, his youngest son Peter took over the Foundry to continue the legacy of his father. Having been schooled in the art by his father as well as an artist himself, Peter added the Art Foundry to his existing thriving business, the famous Pete's Pub in Little Harbour. Greg and Tyler, Pete’s sons, both work on different art forms but continue the family tradition of Bronze casting with the help of Richard Appaldo, the Foundry Resident Artist and Bronze Master since 1995. Richard was Randolph W. Johnston’s last student in the ‘80s and has been assisting Peter Johnston since then.
Nowadays, Pete's son Greg is the manager of the bar, while Pete devotes himself to the creation of art work. Pete's Pub and Gallery in Little Harbour, provide entertainment to the thousands of tourists and locals who also enjoy the fine dining and live music provided by the Pub. The whole operation employs a dozen of employees, most commuting from the nearby settlements of Cherokee Sound and Casuarina Point, as well as the town of Marsh Harbour.
Little Harbour being an isolated place not provided with BEC Power or Water, the Johnston's have provided the community with the first road to access the Cherokee Road. They have also invested in Solar Technology to keep as low a footprint on the
natural resources of the Island.
A few years later, the family was able to create and produce Bronze Sculptures using the ancient technique of the Lost Wax Process. Some of the unique sculptures cast in Little Harbour include the Bust of Sir Milo and the Bahamian Woman on Rawson Square, Sir Pindling at the Nassau International Airport and much more.
When Randolph passed away in 1992, his youngest son Peter took over the Foundry to continue the legacy of his father. Having been schooled in the art by his father as well as an artist himself, Peter added the Art Foundry to his existing thriving business, the famous Pete's Pub in Little Harbour. Greg and Tyler, Pete’s sons, both work on different art forms but continue the family tradition of Bronze casting with the help of Richard Appaldo, the Foundry Resident Artist and Bronze Master since 1995. Richard was Randolph W. Johnston’s last student in the ‘80s and has been assisting Peter Johnston since then.
Nowadays, Pete's son Greg is the manager of the bar, while Pete devotes himself to the creation of art work. Pete's Pub and Gallery in Little Harbour, provide entertainment to the thousands of tourists and locals who also enjoy the fine dining and live music provided by the Pub. The whole operation employs a dozen of employees, most commuting from the nearby settlements of Cherokee Sound and Casuarina Point, as well as the town of Marsh Harbour.
Little Harbour being an isolated place not provided with BEC Power or Water, the Johnston's have provided the community with the first road to access the Cherokee Road. They have also invested in Solar Technology to keep as low a footprint on the
natural resources of the Island.
Where are we?
The Johnston Art Foundry is located in Little Harbour, on one of the Family Islands of The Bahamas, Abaco. The Southern most safe Harbour in the Sea of Abaco. Nowadays, its is accessible by road and boat, a mere 20 miles South of Marsh Harbour. Little Harbour also boasts Pete's Pub and Gallery, where one can quench one's thirst, dine of fresh fish and visit the Gallery where the work of the Johnston Art Foundry is displayed and sold. Pete's Pub website is petespub.com
What do we do?
Our Art Foundry uses the Lost Wax Process to mold and cast in Bronze the originals created by the artists.
What is the Lost Wax process?
History
The ancient art of creating Bronze sculptures can be traced to prehistorical times but the Lost Wax Technique evolved with the Syrian and Roman Civilizations. In present times, very sophisticated improvements have been added and used for both artistic and industrial purposes. The NASA used the Lost Wax Process for casting some of the parts for the Shuttle.
In Little Harbour, not much has changed in the process since Roman times, with the exception of some of the material and equipment used. To create an Art Sculpture in Bronze is a complicated process that involves a few steps as summarily described below.
Step One: Modeling
The Artist models the Original with the help of various modeling tools, in either modeling clay, wood, plaster of Paris, etc...
Step Two: Moulding
A mold of the original is formed around the piece. The materials for this mold are usually made of polyurethane or silicone rubber, plaster or polyester resin and polyester cloth.
Step Three: Wax Casting
The original is removed from the finished mold. A release agent is applied to the inside of the female mold and some hot liquid casting wax is poured inside the mold. Once cooled off, the mold is open to reveal a wax replica of our original.
Step Four: Wax Retouching
The wax replica is retouched using the same modeling tools used in the making of the original. Defects induced by the mold are corrected and final retouching and change of shape are accomplished.
Step Five: Wax Gating
Various cored wax extrusions or “gates”are attached to the wax replica in order to provide future access to the liquid Bronze. Wax vents are also added to provide escape for eventual air bubbles. Good gating and venting minimizes inclusions and shrinkage in the Bronze sculpture.
Step Six: Dipping
A mixture of Colloidal Silica Binder, Bentonite anti suspension agent, Fused Silica Flour and different grits of Silica sand stuccoes is applied in successive coats after a thorough degreasing of the wax. Reinforcement of critical stress points is necessary. It s a slow process because each coat has to dry before another one is applied.
Step Seven: Burnout
This newly formed ceramic mold is then dried and fired for a few hours in a burnout kiln at over 1200 F degrees. This stage permits the elimination of the wax and unveils the hollow female shape inside the ceramic mold.
These investment molds are then checked and repaired as needed. Extreme care in these last stages is primordial as the pressure exerted in the mold when the Bronze is poured can exceed 1/3 lb. per square inch per inch of height.
Step eight: Casting
A diesel furnace is fired up to bring the crucible to 2200 F. The Johnston Art Foundry is one of the few Foundries mixing their own allow. We can cast our own Gun metal Bronze, a Bronze used extensively in the past by the British Navy to cast cannons for example or a more modern Silicon Bronze. In either alloys, the main ingredient is Copper which is recycled from different construction projects on the island of Abaco. Manganese, Zinc, Tin, Lead and Silicon are also used in the process.
The casting is open for viewing to the public.
Step Nine: Divesting
After cooling off the ceramic molds, now filled with the Bronze Alloy, are broken or “divested”. The ceramic,not being reused is disposed of. The tools involved in this divestment process include: Air compressors powering air hammers and air cutters as well as sand blasting machine fed with sandblasting sand of various grits. The Bronze gates are cut off with cutting wheels, hack saw blades, various cold chisels. Repairs and modifications are accomplished with a TIG welder under inert Argon Gas
Step Ten: Chasing
The final finishing of the Sculpture is accomplished with the help of small and medium grinders and rotary electrical tools and a vast assortments of drill bits, grinding bits and wheels, sand paper, polishing tools etc... Silicon welding Rods are used to weld the finished sculpture onto a base with a TIG Welder. The details that were missed in the wax are reworked in the Bronze. The different pieces of the sculpture are welded together and the seam made invisible.
Step Eleven: Patina
A patina of various chemicals and acrylic colors is applied to the Sculpture and after a highlighting to render the contrast, a Bronze varnish or Polishing Wax is applied to the piece. Some of the chemical include: Ethyl Acetate, Oxalic Acid, Nitric Acid, Potassium Aluminum Sulphate, Antimous Oxide, Hydrochloric Acid, Barium Sulphate, Nickel Sulphate, Copper Sulphate, Potash Sulfured etc... This list is not exhaustive.
Step Twelve: Mounting
The finished Sculpture is mounted on various bases, including: Granite, Marble, Mahogany and other hard driftwoods.
The ancient art of creating Bronze sculptures can be traced to prehistorical times but the Lost Wax Technique evolved with the Syrian and Roman Civilizations. In present times, very sophisticated improvements have been added and used for both artistic and industrial purposes. The NASA used the Lost Wax Process for casting some of the parts for the Shuttle.
In Little Harbour, not much has changed in the process since Roman times, with the exception of some of the material and equipment used. To create an Art Sculpture in Bronze is a complicated process that involves a few steps as summarily described below.
Step One: Modeling
The Artist models the Original with the help of various modeling tools, in either modeling clay, wood, plaster of Paris, etc...
Step Two: Moulding
A mold of the original is formed around the piece. The materials for this mold are usually made of polyurethane or silicone rubber, plaster or polyester resin and polyester cloth.
Step Three: Wax Casting
The original is removed from the finished mold. A release agent is applied to the inside of the female mold and some hot liquid casting wax is poured inside the mold. Once cooled off, the mold is open to reveal a wax replica of our original.
Step Four: Wax Retouching
The wax replica is retouched using the same modeling tools used in the making of the original. Defects induced by the mold are corrected and final retouching and change of shape are accomplished.
Step Five: Wax Gating
Various cored wax extrusions or “gates”are attached to the wax replica in order to provide future access to the liquid Bronze. Wax vents are also added to provide escape for eventual air bubbles. Good gating and venting minimizes inclusions and shrinkage in the Bronze sculpture.
Step Six: Dipping
A mixture of Colloidal Silica Binder, Bentonite anti suspension agent, Fused Silica Flour and different grits of Silica sand stuccoes is applied in successive coats after a thorough degreasing of the wax. Reinforcement of critical stress points is necessary. It s a slow process because each coat has to dry before another one is applied.
Step Seven: Burnout
This newly formed ceramic mold is then dried and fired for a few hours in a burnout kiln at over 1200 F degrees. This stage permits the elimination of the wax and unveils the hollow female shape inside the ceramic mold.
These investment molds are then checked and repaired as needed. Extreme care in these last stages is primordial as the pressure exerted in the mold when the Bronze is poured can exceed 1/3 lb. per square inch per inch of height.
Step eight: Casting
A diesel furnace is fired up to bring the crucible to 2200 F. The Johnston Art Foundry is one of the few Foundries mixing their own allow. We can cast our own Gun metal Bronze, a Bronze used extensively in the past by the British Navy to cast cannons for example or a more modern Silicon Bronze. In either alloys, the main ingredient is Copper which is recycled from different construction projects on the island of Abaco. Manganese, Zinc, Tin, Lead and Silicon are also used in the process.
The casting is open for viewing to the public.
Step Nine: Divesting
After cooling off the ceramic molds, now filled with the Bronze Alloy, are broken or “divested”. The ceramic,not being reused is disposed of. The tools involved in this divestment process include: Air compressors powering air hammers and air cutters as well as sand blasting machine fed with sandblasting sand of various grits. The Bronze gates are cut off with cutting wheels, hack saw blades, various cold chisels. Repairs and modifications are accomplished with a TIG welder under inert Argon Gas
Step Ten: Chasing
The final finishing of the Sculpture is accomplished with the help of small and medium grinders and rotary electrical tools and a vast assortments of drill bits, grinding bits and wheels, sand paper, polishing tools etc... Silicon welding Rods are used to weld the finished sculpture onto a base with a TIG Welder. The details that were missed in the wax are reworked in the Bronze. The different pieces of the sculpture are welded together and the seam made invisible.
Step Eleven: Patina
A patina of various chemicals and acrylic colors is applied to the Sculpture and after a highlighting to render the contrast, a Bronze varnish or Polishing Wax is applied to the piece. Some of the chemical include: Ethyl Acetate, Oxalic Acid, Nitric Acid, Potassium Aluminum Sulphate, Antimous Oxide, Hydrochloric Acid, Barium Sulphate, Nickel Sulphate, Copper Sulphate, Potash Sulfured etc... This list is not exhaustive.
Step Twelve: Mounting
The finished Sculpture is mounted on various bases, including: Granite, Marble, Mahogany and other hard driftwoods.