ARTIST

"The "Spirit Guides" came into being because I wanted to create sculptures that spoke of themes that are dear to my heart.  Simply put, these are ideals of serenity, peace, human compassion, and love.  It is my hope that the "Spirit Guides" will enhance you home or garden as well as uplift and ease your spirit.

"'Spirit Guides' are made of bronze and steel. Their heads, hands, and other accessories are made of cast bronze and the bodies are made of hand-fabricated steel.  The bronze is produced by the ancient lost-wax process. To do this, I start by forming the image that I am creating in clay.  After the clay is fired, I make a mold of it.  I then pour melted wax into the mold which when cooled, maintains the intricate detail of the original clay piece.

"I give this wax image to a local foundry which then casts these images in the highest quality silicone bronze.  After the casting of the bronze pieces, I chase, brush, and polish them to their final finish.  A chemical solution called a patina is then applied to each of the pieces.  This patina gives them their color and unique character.  A final finish with several coats of wax is then applied to each piece to finish them.  

"The metal bodies are fabricated of steel.  I form and cut all the body parts, weld them together and grind them smooth.  The bronze parts are welded onto the bodies and entire sculpture is then sandblasted, and painted with the highest grade Rust-o-Leum paint.  This high quality finish allows for the Spirit Guides to be used both inside the home or outside in the garden.

"I hope you enjoy these 'Spirit Guides.'"

Kurt Runstadler was born in San Francisco in 1955.  A full time Artist with 24 years experience creating works of Steel, Glass, Bronze and Stone. In addition, he has over 25 national and international art exhibits and has been awarded numerous commissions for large site-specific works.