These sculptures and low relief plaques are created from cold cast bronze which is made from resin mixed with sintered bronze metal powder, also known as ‘bonded bronze’. After casting the artwork is polished to develop a patina with the appearance of foundry bronze. Each one is numbered and dated. Cast in the atelier of Thomas R. McPhee.
Nerissa Plaque - In 2007, McPhee designed the 1/2 oz .999 Silver $50 coin for the Salt Spring Island Monetary Foundation. He based the design from the over-life size mermaid sculpture he did for the Rotary Club in 2001, which is located in the Rotary Marine Park on Salt Spring Island. This plaque is the original design for the coin, named after the mermaid sculpture, Nerissa. Cast in Bonded Bronze , set in 8" x 10" wood frame, in a Limited Edition of 49.
Skye - Reclining woman - named after the model that posed for the artist.
Wika - Based on the idea of a fertility dance.
Toad - sits on Italian Carrara marble base.
Sea Wolf and Maiden was inspired by a story of a young woman who was the lover of a courageous seafarer, who was transformed into a sea wolf. They would see each other from the shore and fell in love. And through this love, she was able to transform into an orca. They had many children. To this day Orca's are like people, they have extended families and look after each other. Sea Wolf is the mythical name for Orca Whale or Black Fish. The combination of West Coast Native Art with the Western European Neo Classical figurative nude is unique stylistically and forces the question of cultural appropriation.
Mermaid Nerissa Sculpture in Rotary Marine Park, Salt Spring Island, BC. Installed in 2001 by the artist with the help of many Rotarians from the Salt Spring club. Here is Thomas in 2022, refurbishing the cold cast bronze sculpture with epoxy resin bonded with bronze powders to give a verdigris patina on the sculpture.
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Thomas Richard McPhee info@mcpheestudiogallery.net