with the exception of the electronics was cast in some way, whether it is plastic injection molded or die cast. Whether it is the control arms that are sand cast or the investment castings for the front end, castings are everywhere.” Greg was intrigued by this whole


new metal forming world, but from an artistic perspective. His entire life, he had expressed his artistic abilities in drawings, paint and in the written word. Now a whole new world had been opened up to him.


Greg’s First Exposure to a Foundry “We always had a love of Santa Fe, and while on vacation I found out that Shidoni Gallery, one of the biggest art foundries, was in Tesuque, NM. To this day, I remember who the owner was. His name was Tommy Hicks.” Greg continued, “My wife and I went up to the foundry unannounced and told him who I was and asked if he minded


®


showing me around. He spent the entire afternoon explaining the whole process from the beginning to end.” “Tommy took me into a private


gallery next to the foundry where all of the artists were and I was able to touch these great works of art that had gone through the process and I was hooked. After that, I used Tommy for my castings to start with, and he allowed me to be part of the process. I didn’t just drop off my pieces of artwork and leave, like a lot of artists do.” Greg’s hands-on upbringing inspired


him to be immersed in the process. “I told Tommy that I needed to be hands on, so he would allow me to come work in the foundry a week at a time, and I would actually follow the pieces through the whole process.”


Developing His Interest and Knowledge “Then I found a foundry here in Tucson,


which I didn’t know existed. It was Desert Crucible, up by Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, but they are closed now.” With a reminiscent smile on his face, he continued, “I went in and I spoke to them. I wanted to do my artwork in Tucson, but I wanted to be a part of it. I don’t want to drop something off and come back six weeks later when it is done. I wanted to have hands on.” Greg found Desert Crucible to be


supporting of his desires. “The foundry said ‘Okay, I’ll tell you what we’ll do. We’ll work you in real slow, and we’ll let you do a little bit at a time to help you understand the whole process of investment casting. We just can’t have private citizens working in a foundry, and I understood it, because they can be dangerous places.” “So it took almost a year, of just


working my way in and getting to know Continued on pg 18


August 2019 ❘ 17


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