Page 201 - Casting of Angels- Dave Parvin

196

accouterments for the outsides of buildings and will to over life size. Presently, he is lead sculptor on a
last and last. Kept indoors, anything cast in Forton MG veterans’ tribute garden for a suburb of Denver which
should last virtually forever, as in until the Sun goes includes eight nine feet tall bronze statues. While best
supernova. Long after everything else that recorded known for his traditional bronze sculptures, Dave has
that Caylie existed has turned to dust, this 3-D portrait worked in wood, Forton MG, pewter, glass, resins,
should still survive. I told her to expect that in a few Raku, concrete, acrylic, and others. About twenty years
hundred years, it may show up on “Antiques Road ago, Dave began life casting and has become an
Show.” The art expert will probably say, “When you innovator in this art form developing techniques and
brought in your great, great, great, great, great, great products that are commonly used throughout the life
grandmother’s portrait, I got really excited because I casting community. Dave was one of the first to be
immediately recognized it as a genuine Parvin (it’s my honored with a lifetime membership in the Association
fantasy!) from the early 21st century. Do you have any of Life Casters International. He is also one of only
idea as to its worth? No. Well it should be worth a four persons to be given the title of “Certified Life
couple million dollars; but since you made a lamp out Casting Instructor” by the same organization. Dave has
of her...” written over forty published articles on sculpting and
has two instructional DVDs. He feels a responsibility
1. I wrote an article titled “Life Casting, Fine Art or to pass on to others what he had learned and offers
Cheating” in the April 2001 issue of Sculpture Journal workshops several times a year on various sculpture
which I will gladly e-mail to anyone who wants it. See subjects including life casting.
below for contact information. Always eager to discuss art, aviation, and
2. How to Draw and Paint Fairies, Linda Raverscroft, grandchildren, he may be reached at
2005, ISBN 08230 2383 4 parvinstudio@comcast.net or (303) 321-1074.
3. There are any number of materials that can be
utilized for mother molds and the final castings each
with advantages and disadvantages in cost, weight,
strength, toxicity, odor, ease of use, etc. I prefer
Forton MG which has the best all around advantages
and the least disadvantages of anything I know. Its
components are a hydrocal, a resin, a hardener, an
acrylic based liquid. Various additives will give it
special characteristics such a marble or bronze
appearance.
4. Fortunately for anyone interested in more
information on life casting, there is a source for that
has everything needed including instructional videos
and all the materials used for this article. Artmolds is
the only company that whose sole purpose is to meet
the needs of life casters. Artmolds products are
available at art supply stores world wide and may be
reached at artmolds.com or by calling (866) ART-
MOLDS, (866) 278-6653.

Bio
Dave Parvin was born in the Midwest, raised in the
Northwest, and has lived in the Denver area for the last
thirty years. The artistic path for him has taken a
circuitous path. Though a beginning sculptor by the Photo #13
age of three, there were detours to study for the
priesthood, earn a degree in biology, fly helicopters for
the Marine Corps in Viet Nam, remain married to the
same person for over 36 years, and raise a son to

manhood to begin repeating the process with two Faerie Magazine 2007
young grandsons.
Dave’s primary subject is the human form which
he executes in a very realistic manner from miniature