Mel Hantz

One of the main reasons for this site is to document my several decades of foundry experience so that the techniques and knowledge will not be lost. The chance element allowed me to achieve an exciting, surprising aspect of a controlled accident. Without this exciting element, an artist becomes merely a manufacturer of fine objects.

Unfortunately, many artists become manufacturers once they develop a particular style that sells and spend the rest of their artistic lives producing variations on a specific sellable theme. Unfortunately, galleries encourage this “artist style.” This would take much of the joy and spontaneity out of the creative process for me.

When I sculpt, I have a natural force on my shoulders. I feel the work; I think the material. It lets me put my strength into the work’s formation and creativity. When I think of texture, it’s the multiple textures of flowing and frozen moments in time, and I’m practicing in stone, wood, metal, and water simultaneously. I caress the sculpture; I think of the metal, the physical weight, and the tangible textures. The materials I use, bronze, iron, aluminum, tin, copper, brass, airplane aluminum, and wood, are all from recyclable raw materials. The price of my sculptures is $36,000, and the Marquettes are all $6,000.
Mel Hantz CV