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Artists have a special talent to use their hands to create something beautiful whether it is a painting, statue or sculpture. Stan Watts is familiar with this feeling and has been able to apply his talent to create many beautiful objects.
The founder of Atlas Bronze Casting in Kearns, Stan has been a sculptor since the age of 19. He started out small, sculpting on his kitchen table and watching his children while his wife worked. His first project was a small sculpture of Joseph Smith reading in James 1:5 for the LDS Church. The statue was well received and soon afterward, business began pouring in. Atlas Bronze Casting incorporated in 1997, and by 1998, it was busy enough that Stan starting hiring staff members.
Admirers can see statues produced by Atlas Bronze Casting around the state as well as in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Washington, D.C. Some of the most current projects include a depiction of Lincoln giving the Gettysburg Address that is now on display in Gettysburg, a freedom fighter statue that will be placed in France, a project commemorating Joseph Smith's life and a statue of Seabiscuit for the Seabiscuit Heritage Foundation in California.
Creating the statues is no small feat. It involves multiple steps, which must be done precisely. The process starts with sculpting the statue in modeling clay and then creating a silicone rubber mold around it. Stan then creates a wax casting by pouring wax into the mold. He covers that with a ceramic mold designed to withstand temperatures of 2300 degrees and then burns out the wax underneath. In the cavity left from the wax, he pours in the 2000-degree liquid bronze that is left to harden and take shape. He then breaks the ceramic mold so only the bronze casting remains. Welders fix any imperfections and finish the statue by welding the pieces together.
Stan loves watching how Atlas Bronze Casting is able to turn someone's idea into reality using only the best quality products and procedures.
