neptune, virginia beach

[paul dipasquale]

Posted is Neptune Virginia Beach. Privately funded by the Neptune Festival, www.neptunefestival.com. Installedand dedicated to the city in September 2005.

This 12.5 ton bronze at 26 ft height includes one 8 ft octopus, two 17 ft. dolphin and the 11 ft. sea turtle in hand; plus 12 fish and a 5 ft lobster.

I found a foundry in Ningbo China which was willing to set up the full scale clay so I could finish it and direct their sculptors within budget and time restraints.

Also available are pictures of the 26 " bronze maquette and the 6' bronze model, sculptures from both editions were sold to fund the full scale installation. dipasq@erols.com

[paul dipasquale]

If I do not respond quickly to e mail, I can be reached at my studio phone (804) 226.8962.
Paul

[wasabi]

Paul,

Amazing! I will certainly see it next summer when I visit Virginia Beach. I thought my 5' long dragonfly was big, but WOW!

[sculptor]

absolutely delightful, inspiring and ...

thanks Paul

care to discuss the solicitation process and developement of artistic concept?

rod

[settecento]

[quote]

Originally Posted by paul dipasquale

I found a foundry in Ningbo China which was willing to set up the full scale clay so I could finish it and direct their sculptors within budget and time restraints.

Paul sincerely this is an outstanding work, a truly contemporary masterpiece of our times!! Can you forward the bronze foundry website that did realize your work with or their foundry contacts in china, it will be heartily appreciated!!

I was in China in the summer of 2004 modeling a monument there for the Changchung city.

Also available are pictures of the 26 " bronze maquette and the 6' bronze model, sculptures from both editions were sold to fund the full scale installation. dipasq@erols.com

where can i view the pictures of the 26 " bronze maquette ?

[G. Murdoch]

Paul,

Greetings, fantastic, beautiful, inspirational. Thank you.

Graham

[Landseer]

About the Statue

Height (statue and base) – 26 feet
Head – 6 ½ feet tall
Shoulders – 12 feet across
Weight – 12 ½ tons
Dolphins (2) – 17 feet and 15 feet
Loggerhead turtle – 11 feet (diameter)
Octopus – 8 feet

The casting process required:

80 tons of clay
25 tons of plaster
1 ton of glue
7500 grinding and sanding discs
===================

Wow, imagine 80 TONS of clay! for sculpting the original- what kind of clay was used? oil/plasticene or water clay?
Amazing scale and work, I also like the accessory items- all the added fish around the base.

[Merlion]

Paul's Neptune is really very impressive.

As for making the very large clay model, he said in his first post that he finished this at the Ningbo foundry. So my guess is that it was made with water clay, at least the outer layer.

By the way, Ningbo is a city on the eastern coast of China, not too far from Shanghai.

[Landseer]

Originally Posted by Merlion

Paul's Neptune is really very impressive.

As for making the very large clay model, he said in his first post that he finished this at the Ningbo foundry. So my guess is that it was made with water clay, at least the outer layer.

Makes sense, just wondered because it would have to be kept damp and also covered, and whatever rubber if any used for the mold would have to be able to cure with the moisture in the clay,* while plasticene doesn't have that issue.

[Mordachai]

Originally Posted by Landseer

Makes sense, just wondered because it would have to be kept damp and also covered, and whatever rubber if any used for the mold would have to be able to cure with the moisture in the clay,* while plasticene doesn't have that issue.

yeah, but even water clay can be sealed, as to avoid the water issue.

IMLE, contaminants in clays have been more troublesome than moisture. makes me always want a coat of shellac of similar sealer....

|M|

[Merlion]

This huge and impressive bronze Neptune at Virgina Beach (see post #1 above posted by the sculptor) is in the news again, see below. Wonder if the mentioned TV documentary will be available as a video, hopefully online say on YouTube?

Documentary tells the story behind Neptune statue

VIRGINIA BEACH -- The 34-foot statue of Neptune that sits on Virginia Beach's boardwalk was originally supposed to be about half that size.

The story behind the bronze statue and how it grew from 15 feet to 34 feet is told in "King Neptune: The Making of the Myth," a documentary that will be broadcast by local PBS affiliate WHRO-TV at 9 p.m. Thursday and again at 5 p.m. Sunday.

"We created this film because it's a great story and a gripping story," said executive producer Paul Michels, who serves on the board of the Neptune Festival. ....

The statue, which stands on the boardwalk near 31st Street, was dedicated at last year's Neptune Festival

[Berinje']

Hi Paul,

Simply incredible and the scale is amazing!!! A little large for Tom Banwell to mold or cast, haha. I've admired your sculpting, from very small to over live size, but it's great to see you jump to something so monumentally huge and do it so well. Congratulations!

Love and Light,
Paula Slater
www.PaulaSlater.com

[Alfred]

In regards to molds. A large piece like that was probably molded in fiber-glass. if they did use rubber it would have been a silicone rubber. I use this rubber regularly and it doesn't require any sealing of the clay because silicone rubber catalyzes with water. I buy my material from a company called Walco Materials Group. It also works great on oil based clay like Chavant.

In regards to the sculpt. I think it's wonderful and I look forward to seeing it in person someday. Any special precautions taken for the sea air? I am currently in the running for a sculpture in Laguna Beach, Ca. and it will also be by the water. I would very much like to know if the bronze has a special sealer on it.

Great Job!!

Alfred

[fritchie]

Very imaginative and impressive piece, Paul. Congratulations.

[Merlion]

Paul DiPasquale has not appeared in this Forum since he mentioned his impressive bronze statue of Neptune and posted photos of it a year ago.

For those interested, here is his website. There is an email address there.

[paul dipasquale]

Hi Merlion,
I'm back to update with posts to the Neptune Sculpture. Sorry for the absence.
Also, My e mail has changed since I opened the post. Another problem I hope to solve soon.
it is dipasq@verizon.net in case it doesn't show up.
Paul

[paul dipasquale]

Hi Alfred,

[paul dipasquale]

By the way,
The Neptune statue was done in water clay, kept moist for 6 weeks and cast using huge plaster waste molds. Mr. Zhang Cong runs the make shift "foundry" but his workers skill at moulding and casting is supurb.
DiPasquale, new e mail: dipasq@verizon.net

[Merlion]

Paul, you wouldn't have pictures you can show us taken while the job was being done at the foundry? It must have been a big and heavy job if they were using plaster molds.

I don't have any job in mind, but would you have the English name of this foundry at Ningbo ?

[paul dipasquale]

Hi Merlion, I'd be glad to post pictures if you can tell me how to do it on this site... or who to ask. Or I can e mail them to you. I still haven't figured out how to correct my (now disfuntional) e mail address shown in my first posting...
(correct address is dipasq@verizon.net)

Many foundries in China and the one I worked with are gypsied... meaning the factory space is temporarily equipped with moveable equipment for the job. Workers are transported in too who work with the core of artisans who generally stay employed by the head sculptor. So, finding the reliable middleman and a "second opinion" reliable translator and personal assistant is crucial. James Xu who co-owns Evergreen Enterprises in Richmond, VA was my partner in Neptune and who made it happen in China. His e mail address is JamesX@myevergreen.com
I'd be glad to assist anyone who wants to find their way to doing work there.

[curtissmith]

hello from flagstaff az. Looks great. Wish we could have made it to the party.

[Merlion]

Originally Posted by paul dipasquale

Hi Merlion, I'd be glad to post pictures if you can tell me how to do it on this site... or who to ask. Or I can e mail them to you. I still haven't figured out how to correct my (now disfuntional) e mail address shown in my first posting...
(correct address is dipasq@verizon.net).

This thread last year was about how to post pictures in this online forum. It is a long thread, but posts #2 and 3 seem to be most relavant.

About correcting any mistakes in early postings, I understand this cannot be done. Postings that is more than 24 hours old cannot be edited anymore in this online forum. They have a special reason for disallowing this.

[MountainSong]

Paul, if you're still around, this is fantastic! I'm particularly smitten with the scale - large sculptures like this are just so commanding and present. This is well done in every way.

[KeithBentley]

Paul,
I am in such awe - I can not wait to get down there this spring to see the work. Congrats and I can't wait to see more!
And also, thanks for the information you've posted.

[Todd Harry Lane]

Absolutely incredible. From the anatomy to the gesture to the scale. Wow!

Makes me wonder what the hell *I'm* doing??
.