The “Rift” was inspired by plate tectonics and volcanic activity. The upper half of the sculpture is pushed up over the bottom half like the way a thrust fault is formed by one land mass sliding up and over another. Over subduction zones where plates collide volcanoes often reside. The black mass was inspired by a basalt bomb that had been ejected from a volcano. When molted lava blobs spin through the air and cool they form a circular bark-like pattern on the surface. Usually, they are much rounder, but I stretched this to make a more interesting contemporary design. The basalt bomb has a very similar specific gravity to iron, and I imagined what it might look like if I sliced and polished the inside. I used polished stainless to achieve my vision.
The main portion of the “Rift” is made from bronze using the lost wax casting process. The two polished surfaces are stainless steel plates which have been shaped and welded in place. An interesting detail that you can see is where the bronze and steel were melted and woven into each other. The piece has a lean to it because it is centered over the balance point which gives it a more relaxed yet dynamic attitude. I chose bronze and stainless steel because they are known to be archival and sturdy outdoor material. “Rift” measures 48 inches tall and 17 inches wide. It is a limited edition of 5 and this is number 5.
Ted Schaal received a Bachelor of Fine Art from Colorado State University in 1992 and has been living and working as a bronze sculptor in Loveland, Colorado ever since. He has established a large international private collector base and is in about a dozen public collections. Currently he is represented by galleries in Vail, Santa Fe and Palm Desert. You can also find him at the annual Sculpture in the Park Show every August in Loveland, Colorado.
