Article: Lasting Forever
(By John Terhune/Journal & Courier)
Rick Hadley works on a piece titled "The Jump Off" at his studio in downtown Otterbein. A mold of the clay original is created to make a wax impression. The impression is then used for pouring bronze for the sculpture.
Lasting Forever
Journal and Courier - Lafayette, IN
PUBLISHED: 01-29-08 2:00 AM
By John Terhune (jterhune@journalandcourier.com)
Using a sculpting tool, Rick Hadley removes modeling clay from a large model of a horse he and his wife, Rita, are creating in their studio in Otterbein.
The clay horse will be the basis for a bronze sculpture titled "Freedom."
The couple developed their skills in bronze casting while living in New Mexico for 13 years.
Family brought the Hadleys back to Indiana, where Rick grew up, a couple years ago.
They fashion their sculptures first in clay. A rubber mold is then made of the clay original.
The rubber mold is then used to make wax impressions of the original. The wax impression, in turn, is used during bronze casting in the lost wax method of casting.
The bronze casting takes place at foundries in Indianapolis and in Texas.
"We felt that since we had worked with bronze sculptures out west and know what we know, it's really kind of a rarity here in Indiana bringing some of the west back to Indiana and some of that refined bronze knowledge, and hopefully we can pass that on to others that would be willing to learn what we have learned," Hadley said.
Hadley said that he and Rita love their studio in Otterbein. One day they hope to open a gallery.
"One of the things that I really like about our bronze sculptures, and Rita and I have talked about this numerous times, is that once we are long gone, these bronzes will go on for a long, long time for people to enjoy," he said. "So we feel like we can kind of leave a legacy behind of our work, and that's a very rewarding feeling."
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REWIND: Moments in Bronze
By John Terhune (jterhune@journalandcourier.com)
