Cavin Richie moved to the Puget Sound area in 1970 to be near the sea. For over thirty years his carvings have reflected his surroundings. All of his work is highly detailed. His line includes birds, mammals and amphibians. He begins the lost wax casting process using shed elk antler and woolly mammoth ivory. Cavin loves the earthy look of bronze and the way it shows the detail of his original designs.
“Carving,” says Cavin “is like touching antiquity. I feel a kinship with a long lineage of carvers dating back to the Pleistocene.”
Below are the steps that Cavin uses to create each of his remarkable pieces. The carving alone can take up to twenty hours. Each piece is a miniature sculpture.
Cavin begins by sketching the wildlife into the shed antler.
The antler is smoothed.
The wildlife is cut out of the antler.
Details are added to the piece.
A rubber mold is created that will be used for the wax model.
A wax model is created. A second mold is created around the wax model.
Liquid bronze is poured into the mold. When the bronze cools, the bronze piece is removed from the mold.
The rough casting is chased, the findings are soldered on and the patina is applied.
Watch Cavin on our YouTube channel.
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