Make a Splash: A very exciting development for My Hares and Graces

We are thrilled to announce that the amazing sculptures from My Hares and Graces will now be available in bronze – as a Limited Edition. These beautiful works of art are a wonderful way to bring life and energy to your garden this winter!

Founder of My Hares and Graces,  Carol Slabolepszy, was also recently invited by Kim Goodwin, from the Goodwin Foundry, to participate in the creation of the wax ‘positive’ for Mvundla. Watching Mvundla being cast in bronze was certainly a spectacular and profound experience… a mix of magic and alchemy!

Pic of me cutting along the trim line

The next step in the process was for Kim to make the ceramic mould for the ‘lost wax’ casting process.  Mvundla, a lying down hare, is quite large so the ‘wax positive’ was carefully cut just behind the shoulders so that he could be cast in two parts.

The ceramic moulds of Mvundla

It was profoundly moving to watch the casting. There is a tremendous noise while the furnace is melting the bronze and when that is switched off there is quiet. Kim and his foundry men moved with care and synchronicity, lifting the crucible from the furnace and pouring the molten metal into the waiting moulds. Carol’s experience, watching the bronze being poured! It looked and sounded like hot milk. … that could not have been further from the truth.

Molten bronze looking innocently like hot milk in the moulds.

The day after the casting, Carol returned to the foundry and started to chip off the ceramic mould. It was a real shock having to whack the sculpture really hard to get the shell off. Luckily, Carol had help and the next time she saw her hare, he had emerged but was waiting for welding to join the two pieces back together and lastly… (this will be another excuse to travel to KZN) the patina will be worked on at the end of this month.

Mvundla waiting to be welded together…and then it’s time for the patina process.

The result is a hand-crafted piece that is unique and captivating. The work put into making this bronze piece is a labour of love but the end product will certainly speak for itself!

Contact: My Hares and Graces.
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