A Retrospective of Sculpture by Steve Simmons [Greenwich, CT]

Steve Simmons has been sculpting for over twenty-five years. Both his mother Lynn and father Robert were successful painters, and he attributes his artistic interest to them. Although the artist sculpts a variety of subjects, including the human form, he has focused on animals, and in more recent years on abstract work. His interest in animals began with his visits to the Bronx Zoo as a child, where he later took his five young children. This was later reinforced during safaris in Africa where he saw close up the movement and structure of incredible animal species. His over three decades of summering on Martha’s Vineyard as well as spending many winters on the coasts of California and Florida, further enhanced his interest in sea wildlife.

 

The animal pieces were originally sculpted in clay and then taken to a foundry. Through the several thousand-year-old lost wax process where metal is heated to 2000 degrees, the clay work is turned into a bronze. The larger animal sculptures are begun with a Styrofoam cutout around which a wire mesh is wrapped. The mesh is covered with strips of burlap dipped in plaster. Once this armature hardens, clay is applied and the artistic sculpting begins.

 

In addition to his focus on animals, Simmons loves the idea of metal sculptures, free flowing, standing in a natural environment. An early visit to Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, New York, with all it’s fantastic outdoor metal sculpture, fueled his enthusiasm.

 

The abstract sculptures all begin with conceptualization which is reduced to numerous sketches and sizing. Depending on the sculpture, a small maquette is crafted from clay or a wooden model created. From these, 3-D digital visualization refines the sculpture. Eventually, at a metal fabrication foundry, aluminum or steel is used to fashion the sculpture and colors carefully chosen.

For the indoor abstracts, the process usually begins with a clay rendering made from sketches. That in turn is made into a resin sculpture which is then made into aluminum.

 

In the last year and a half the artist's commitment to sculpting has lead him to create ten new sculptures, all of which are depicted here.

 

For more images and information, please view the exhibition catalog here: Exhibition Catalog