Art Sculpture Wall

There’s no question that the country’s economy is experiencing a demographic shift where personal net worth is concerned but it’s difficult to recall a time when this was not the situation in one fashion or another.  Recent studies indicate there are now more American billionaires than ever before so it’s easy to assume there are more millionaires, too.  And we all know that when the rich get richer, the homes get much more opulent.

Trend-setting homes now often feature an art sculpture wall or two to showcase an exquisite view, custom-made furniture, or priceless heirloom antiques.  These sculpture walls represent many things to many people – family, history, locale, favorite things, special moments, travel – and each one is unique to its environ.

One technique often used to create an art sculpture wall is called bas-relief, a term borrowed from the Italian basso rilievo meaning “low relief.”  A surface treated with the bas-relief technique is actually a sculpture presented as a portrait.  The background of the image gets carved away, leaving a raised, sculpted image that stands a few inches above the now-flattened background.

Bas-relief, or low relief, is only one form of this art sculpture wall technique.  Some reliefs feature figures emerging from the wall in nearly natural depth, almost three dimensional.  These “high contrast” reliefs are called alto-relief and may feature a depth of relief more exaggerated than even the natural form in order to more fully enhance the image.

An art sculpture wall can be rendered from any number of materials.  The most popular wall sculptures are carved from plaster, wood, and stone or they’re cast metal.  Sometimes a wall sculpture is a work of art added to a home already built while others were installed when the home was under construction.  Either way, it is a wise homeowner who will hire a master craftsman with expert training in the art and solid references to take on such a monumental mission.

Once you’ve found just the right sculptor to take on the challenge of creating this permanent work of art for your home, you can relax and watch the magic emerge.  And don’t worry about keeping up with the Joneses.  They’re still happy with their garden tub, putting green, and media room – so last year!