Stewart and Steven Wegner, twins and the fourth and fifth
sons of a naval officer, started out in Seattle, Washington
but grew up on both coasts and the Gulf, always near the
ocean.
Stewart received his degree in Art from
Valley College in Los Angeles. While there he apprenticed
under the world-renowned sculptor Bijan Bijan, becoming
proficient in all phases of the art of sculpting. While in
California he also worked under the tutelage of his older
brother Paul, who had already achieved national recognition
as a sculptor. Steven, began his career in
the world of graphic arts.
In 1979 they joined with another
of the brothers to create a fine arts bronze foundry. They
called it Wegner Metal Arts. This was the ultimate step
because it brought together all of the elements needed to
create and produce fine works of art.
Today the foundry
provides casting service by the lost-wax process to over 25
artists in mid-Atlantic states, and their work can be seen
all over the united states from the Statue of Liberty, to
the White House, to Hollywood. In the ten years of operation
the foundry has produced over 5000 bronze sculptures ranging
in size up to 20 foot spans and weighing more than 5 tons.
Steven and Stewart's positions in the
foundry as its founders and its workers and directors
provide them with a unique opportunity to master and control
each and every step of the complex process required to
produce a quality product. This experience which now spans
more than ten years has enabled them to achieve a much
greater understanding and mastery of the entire sculpting
profession, not only as artists but as master craftsmen.
In 1985 they collaborated to produce a
specialized series of sculptures depicting marine life,
reflecting their love of the sea and
interest
in scuba diving and snorkeling. This line of
sculpture entitled "Ocean Bronze" has had immediate success
in the art world. So far they have created more than 75
different designs, ranging in size from one's fist to over
five feet in height.
All of the sculptures are made using the lost-was
casting method. However, many pieces are so
intricately detailed that no mold of the design can be made
and must be individually sculpted by hand. For
example, several sculptures combine a cast fish with a
directly sculpted piece of coral. The resulting work
contains slight variations that make each of these pieces
truly one-of-a-kind. Since
introducing Ocean Bronze pieces have been sold through
galleries in Florida, Georgia, Mexico, California, Virginia,
Maryland, and Australia.
The Wegner's diversity in wildlife sculpture is
almost as diverse as natural wildlife is itself. Their deep
affection and commitment for both the fine art of bronze
sculpture and oceanic life is evident in their work.
Each piece seems to come alive in movement and design.
Colorful, precious fleeting moments in time are captured to
stimulate the imagination. The combined talents
of Steven and Stewart which first produce the original work
in wax, then moved into the complex processes of the
foundry, again under the control of the artists, is indeed a
rare synergism seldom found in the art world. |
