News Archives - Bronze Africa by John Tolmay

New Clays to View

As usual, I’ve been busy in the studio working on new pieces. A charging elephant bull, capturing that intense moment just before a possible encounter when things could go either way for you or the elephant. This dynamic and energetic pose was a challenge, but I’m really pleased with the result and look forward to seeing it in the bronze. I am calling this one “When An Elephant Comes To Kill You.”
The dimensions are 23″L 13.5″W 14″H.

And yes, it’s time for another warthog piece! “To Run Or Not To Run.” This little guy is full of attitude, ready to either dash off if danger is real or get back to what it is that warthogs do best – keep very busy.
The dimensions are 15″L 12″W 13″H.

I was raised in the midlands of Rhodesia where this little antelope was seen every day if you were out in the bush. I was given a .22 rifle when I was still a very young boy and this animal, as far as my Dad was concerned was Royal Game and I was never allowed to hunt one. The Steen Buck is diurnal and hardly moves at night and as such was not a fellow that bothered my mothers flowers and her vegetables under the cover of darkness. The Grey Duiker that also frequented the same habitat was a different story and if he could would plague my mothers garden. This fellow is heavier than the Steen Buck and according to my Dad fair game and many of them found their way into the skinning shed. To this day I hold this little red antelope in high esteem and whenever I am in Africa it remains a real pleasure to see them and to realize that they are still wondering the grasslands of Southern Africa. I have called this piece The Grassland Pixie whose dimensions are: 9″L 5″W 11″H.

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE

Georgie2024-07-11T14:59:10-04:00July 2nd, 2024|Elephant, News, Stories, Warthog|

December news from the Studio

A few updates from the Studio to follow.

I have decided that The Banker was so difficult to deal with as a wall mount due to its weight and the limitations that put on the ability to hang it on any wall. It would be better served as a bust that can be set into a plinth or exist as a free-standing piece. This image below will give you an idea of what to expect to see. The first image is the piece begin worked on in the foundry and the second piece is of the piece with the patina completed.

The Banker as a bust rather than a wall mount

And as always I have been keeping very busy in the studio with two new sculptures of those interesting African scenes that have become less and less likely to see unless you’re very far off the beaten track. Observations of little moments in everyday life that are fleeting but so important.

Thorn Tree Surgery is a piece similar to Running Repairs of which there are two left in the edition, but this time I have a keenly interested dog and an indifferent goat in the piece with a huge amount of detail to keep the eye entertained at every angle. Estimated size at this point is: 12″L 13″D 11″T (with the spear).

The second piece is called Loading the Daily Water Supply where it takes two women to help each other get those big clay pots onto each other’s heads. The pots are filled from the creek using the gourd carried by one women to decant the water into the pots. Woman number one is helped by woman number two to load the first pot onto her head. Then the second pot is loaded by both the women only this time woman number one is already loaded and she has to balance her load while helping woman number two load the second pot onto her head. The whole exercise is centred around strength, dexterity, cooperation and balance. They dare not drop those pots because it’s back to the potter and the kiln for a new pot and no doubt comments from the other women in the village. Nowadays it’s 4 gallon plastic jerry cans or metal buckets that are carried. There is no running water in many African villages – even today. The estimated size at this point is: 12″L 8″W 17″T.

Both pieces are at the Hefestus foundry waiting to be cast – holding thumbs I’ll have one or both with me at the Dallas Safari Club and SEWE.

Click through the various poses below.

Georgie2023-12-13T13:59:09-04:00December 11th, 2023|Cape Buffalo, Conservation, News, Stories|

Six new pieces in the gallery

Everything’s big and better in the Lone Star State, where last night we weathered a storm with lightning that lit up the sky, thunder that boomed like a cannon and rain that fell sporadically, interrupting our sleep. It got me thinking that four months of this year have already slipped through our fingers, and the Dallas Safari Club and Southeastern Wildlife Exposition seem like distant memories. I ain’t sent out one newsletter since then, so good to see y’all again!

I sculpted a number of small pieces last year which proved popular with folks who were downsizing. Herewith the selection of all six which garnered chuckles, chortles oooh’s and aaah’s and this lovely comment about Spooked from Jim and Diane who are long-time collectors: “We are delighted with our latest Tolmay, it is stunning. Lovely patina. Will find a proper placement”.

Most of this year I’ve been working on commissions, like finishing up the larger version of a water fountain, which is my take on “The Mermaid,” – it’s currently being cast at the foundry. With no constraints or limits, I was able to let my imagination run wild and come up with an entirely new take for the project – so watch this space.

A charging buffalo! Now there’s a subject that’ll get your heart racing. I call my piece “Use Enough Gun.” It’s a reminder that, when it comes to buffalo, you don’t want to be caught without enough firepower. Again have been allowed to really use my imagination on this one having mercifully never had to face a charging buffalo down. Made sure there was plenty of fire power and my clients were accurate with their rifles. Excited to release this piece.

Also working on a table-top piece of running black lechwe which is a really great challenge.

So a diverse selection of pieces to keep me occupied until the end of May when we head to France to visit our daughter Georgie, and then we’re off to Zimbabwe to see friends and family. We won’t be back until the end of July, so hopefully we’ll miss some of the worst of the Texas heat.

Georgie2023-05-01T07:41:13-04:00May 1st, 2023|Antelope, Commission, Elephant, Kudu, News, Small, Stories|

Some little pieces in progress

After the epic mission of sculpting the Gwase Bull I was quite happy to shift down a gear or two size-wise and sculpt these three little pieces. It was a great way to ease myself into the new studio here in East Texas and get a good feel for the new space, the different light and the much needed AC unit to try and deal with the crazy heat of the last month. Even my clay was melting before the installation and don’t even mention trying to work a piece of wax for the smaller details like horns on the giraffe and the legs on the dung beetle! If you would like to pre-order any of these pieces, let me know so we can get the ball rolling with the Foundry.

ROLLING THE GROCERIES HOME

EDITION: 20 sculpted in 2022
DIMENSIONS: H:6” L: 10” W: 6″
WEIGHT: TBA
PRICE: TBA

TANDALA NDOGO

EDITION: 10 sculpted in 2020
DIMENSIONS: H: 14″ L:10″ W: 4″
WEIGHT: TBA
PRICE: TBA

TAIL WIND

EDITION: 20 sculpted in 2022
DIMENSIONS: H:9″ L:13″ W:4″
WEIGHT: TBA
PRICE: TBA

Georgie2022-08-10T04:23:29-04:00July 26th, 2022|Antelope, Kudu, News, Small|

Bringing the Gwasi Bull to life

What you see in the image gallery below is the process of taking the sculpture from the clay to the bronze. The mold is made up of many pieces and a not single piece as one might imagine. You can see that the final piece is never solid but in fact hollow inside. Can you imagine the weight of a piece like this if it was solid?! This process applies to all my bronzes no matter how big or small they are. This one happens to be my largest piece to date.

The Gwasi Bull is made up of some 50 odd pieces of individually cast pieces of bronze that are then expertly welded together to make up the sculpture. This is an incredibly important process that requires a truly skilled artisan and craftsman to make it happen the right way. Thereafter the patina is painstakingly applied. This process too requires patience and skill and a real vision of what one wants the sculpture to look like in the end.

I think the picture of myself, Kevin and Jimmy says it all. I am very very happy with how this is coming together. Number 1 of this sculpture will be making its home with a long-time collector of my work here in Texas and there will be 4 more cast – so if you’re interested in having a Gwasi Bull of your own you know where to find me.

Look out for the final piece in an upcoming newsletter.

Georgie2022-07-26T22:23:21-04:00July 24th, 2022|Commission, Elephant, Exhibitions, Large, News|