Large or Small:
If you are in need of a custom piece of artwork, no matter what the size, medium or material, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I have created small custom artwork pieces for as little as $250 and have managed, completed and installed large-scale projects costing several hundred thousand dollars.
Designer and Artist
My formal training and early career was as an industrial designer. I feel this is a huge advantage I have over most other artists. As a designer, I always used a variety of materials and processes to find the best solution for a project. The best solution might be metal, it might be plastic, it might be stamped, cut carved, cast -or none of those. After esthetics and function, the most important factor for my design clients sometimes was cost, the time to make it, or at times, even it’s shipping weight. This was great training for my second career as an artist. I still follow that same design process today and it has served me (and my clients) very well. Following a proven work process not only gives my clients a sense of comfort, it is truly the essence of what takes just a “cool idea” and turns it into a reality.
Working Together
I realize asking an artist to create custom artwork for you can be very intimidating. The three step process I use allows gives the client the control to be as involved as much as they would like, and informed of the project status throughout.
- We begin by meeting where I can show you samples of completed commission works and you can tell me about your project. If you have photos of where the completed artwork will be displayed, they are always helpful to review as we talk. I will need you to tell me as much as possible about how you would like your finished artwork to look. If it is difficult for you to explain exactly what you want, look at magazines and books and either mark the pages or start a file of cut out images that are similar in style to what you hope to commission.
- The second step is “concept development” where I develop sketches and sometimes models of the ideas that I have for your project. We can meet, or I can email you sketches for you to review at your leisure. After we agree on a concept and then, the material it will be made from, a realistic schedule and estimate of price can be discussed.
- As work on your custom artwork progresses, client reviews will be scheduled. For many small projects, all that is often required is a review before the piece is finished. The review process is up to you, stop by as often as you wish to feel comfortable. Sometimes these reviews can even be completed via email if you are too busy to stop by. For example, a small terra-cotta sculpture tile might not need multiple reviews along the way, but it should be reviewed when completed (while it was still soft and still able to be changed) -before it was fired in a kiln or cast after which any client input would be much more difficult to implement.
Traditional or Modern:
You will see that I have many samples of what would be considered “realistic” styled figurative artwork. But my portfolio at ChrisErney.com and my Torpedo Factory studio also contain more modern-style metal sculptures as well, influenced by my design career. I have many references for my work in either style should you need to contact them.
Murals and Painting:
Though I am not listed as a painter, I do also paint in acrylics and use painting and painted finishes daily in my sculptural artwork. I was recently commissioned to paint one of the longest murals in the United States featuring The Life and Legacy of George Washington. For photos and more information you can visit www.GWMural.com or visit my personal website at www.ChrisErney.com to see mural paintings and the rest of my artwork.
Freedom
Clay for Bronze
Client: U.S. Olympics
22″ H
The Arch Bishop
Plaster Copies For Bronze Casting
20” H
Flickering Flame
Steel and Stainless Steel
9’ H