It is not unusual to find Jacque Guiffré in San Diego zoological gardens where she is often seen studying her animal subjects for sculptures which she regularly donates to raise funds for the zoo’s overseas research and conservation projects.
In 2010 on a study trip to East Africa she took time off Safari to take part in a residency at the Foundation where working with the Rwenzori Founders team she cast four 24” x 9” relief panels depicting the wildlife she had encountered.
Casting reliefs of this size into bronze poses technical challenges that the team had to overcome. Thin flat shapes have a tendency to split their fragile refractory moulds and in order to avoid that, steel clips were fabricated and used to reinforce the edges and prevent them from cracking under the pressure and heat of the bronze pour.
The colours of leaves in the dry season and local stones inspired the colour for the patina; the chemical colouring treatment of the finished bronzes which is the main speciality of the team at the foundry.
Once the surface finish of the bronzes was successfully achieved, they were carefully packed and shipped to the USA.
