Project Description

This tortoise sculpture is made of hammer formed copper sheet metal and filled solid with concrete. It measures about 4 feet from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail, and weighs a couple hundred pounds. The copper panels were shaped by hand with traditional metalworking techniques like raising, sinking, repousse, and chasing. The components were TIG welded together and attached to an internal steel armature. The hollow sculpture was filled solid through an opening underneath. It’s extremely sturdy and can hold up to abuses and indignities like climbing, jumping, or riding. The sculpture is darkened with a liver of sulfur patina and sealed with wax and oil. The video below shows how this copper turtle was made, step by step.

hammered copper sculpture tortoise

copper metal tortoise sculpture outdoor

 

copper turtle sheet metal sculpture

copper repousse tortoise sculpture outdoor

 

copper turtle sculpture

Jeremy Maronpot and turtle sculpture