In a day and age where things are increasingly disposable, there is an art form that stands out in its lasting impressions of life and beauty: An art form that can be passed down through generations and enjoyed for thousands of years.
Elaine Hansard is a local bronze sculptor in Bozeman who uses the lost wax technique of casting bronze to create sculptures by hand using a process that began in ancient China over five thousand years ago. 3-D printing is replacing handmade items of quality with a high quantity of art pieces that may look nice for a short time, but in a throw away culture, they will not stand the test of time.
She knew from a young age that she wanted to be an artist and incorporate her love of archeology to create bronze sculptures that are inspired by fantasy, mythology, and classic Western themes. Seeing pieces of bronze that were excavated after thousands of years gave her the vision to resurrect this ancient art form that was slowly becoming a thing of the past.
Hansard grew up in Bozeman and from an early age the nature around her inspired her to create. She took a tour of a local bronze foundry when she was fourteen years old. Hansard realized that she too could be crafting pieces that similarly might be unearthed thousands of years from now. That vision spurred her to become the hands-on artist she is today, crafting works of beauty that are unique in nature and bringing to life the themes she envisions.
Hansard loves working with her hands using the wax technique of casting. In a process that can involve nearly a dozen different artisans to complete, she touches nearly every part of the process. Typically, the maker creates the original sculpture out of wax or clay and then sends it to the bronze foundry for casting, who then returns it to the original designer.
The process is a long and tedious one. A high degree of detail and care goes into complex pieces, with some requiring the original to be cut into multiple pieces then cast and reassembled for the finished piece.
Bronze casting is a labor of love as is presenting the finished pieces to those who collect. Although most bronze artists focus on one specialty area, Hansard finds freedom in engaging in multiple expressions through her designs, spanning small to large sculptures and incorporating a variety of patinas on the finished bronzes.
At one time she was faced with recovering from a sports injury which did not allow her to work on larger pieces. That’s when Hansard had the idea of creating belt buckles which she uses as a way of introducing people to her greater oeuvre. The depth and scope of Elaine’s artistry can be witnessed in person at one of the local farmer’s markets, galleries, or at her studio in the Emerson Cultural Center. She can also be found on Instagram (@waterhorsebronze) and Etsy .