Art Medals - Coin Medals - Awards
- Portrait and Figurative Sculpture - Plaques and Memorials
Art Medals by Geri Jimenez
Gould
What is an Art Medal?
For thousands of years medals
have been struck or cast to commenorate and honor important persons
or events. In the 19th Century the medal became a vital part of
commerce and diplomacy, and began to reach new heights of artistic
quality under the mastery of artists such as Augustus St. Gaudens
and Daniel Chester French. Today, the Art Medal has become a major
and accepted form of artistic expression for artists worldwide.
The Art Medal is a form of "collectible
sculpture" that can be carried in the pocket, easily displayed
in the home or office, and now graces the collections of major
museums and galleries.
The primary purpose of the Art
Medal remains, however, the recognition of an important person
or persons, an historic event or the attainment of a corporate
or civic milestone.
The Art Medal is usually distinguished
from the common "coin" in that they are created with
a high level of artistic quality like the finest sculptures-in-the-round.
They are traditionally minted in bronze as well as silver, gold
and even platinum. Art Medals can range in size from tiny to over
6 inches in size. The most common are 1 1/2 " (38mm), 2"
(50mm) and 3" (76mm). Usually round, they can be made in
almost any shape such as square, oblong or free formed. Art Medals
are most often diestruck from hardened steel dies cut on sophisticated
pantograph machines from hard negative "shells" created
by the mint from the artists original large scale plaster mold.
The accuracy is such that even the fingerprint of the artist is
reproduced.
The Art Medal can also be created
by the "lost-wax" casting process from the artists original
work, either as direct casting (one only) or from rubber molds
made from the original. This process allows for great creativity
with few technical limitations, thus allowing the artist to truly
create a limited edition (1-100) work at minimal cost. However,
the lost-wax process does not provide a cost effective solution
for programs that require larger quantities.
Critical to the successful production
of any medallic program or Art Medal is the training and skill
of the artist to create original works of art that meet the severe
technical demands of the die-striking or minting process. Whether
for low relief Coin Medals, medium or high relief Art Medals many
factors must be considered.
Foremost is the design itself,
which, in addition to capturing the subject matter, must be appropriate
to the finished size of the piece. Small medals require a simple
and easily read design, while larger pieces can be more complex
and of deeper relief. Also important is countering, or
the relationship of obverse to reverse design to allow for metal
flow and displacement, and the intended finish, or patina,
which has direct impact on textures. Draft angles, stylus
considerations and model preparation must all be correct to facilitate
the die-cutting and minting process.
In short, a thorough understanding
of the entire minting process is crucial to a successful medallic
program, and Geri has proven her mastery of this technology with
a reputation for beautiful yet easy to strike medals.