Materials and Production Information

Overboard Art sculptures are made to last and to be worthy of keeping. We do everything by hand from carving the original to recreating the form in permanent sculpture materials, and conclude by the more lengthy and demanding process of painting and finishing the piece. There are many steps in doing even a simple product. Our Gallery Collection sculptures may require weeks of work. The cost is a pretty accurate way of determining the time and material expenses involved. Our goal is for our work to be extraordinary and at the same time fairly priced. A sign hangs in the shop that reads, “Work to make a living, not a killing!”

Sculptural Resins 

After the original woodcarving or clay sculpture has been made, the proper materials are selected to recreate the piece. We use a variety of permanent sculpture grade resins, choosing the ones with the mechanical properties that best suit the design. We formulate the materials to match the weight and feel of the materials we are reproducing. In the painting we approximate the look of wood or rocks or whatever is being used as a base for the sculpture. The match is often so convincing a customer will ask if it is “real”. Occasionally, someone will ask if we are using stuffed birds—that indeed is a compliment! We pride ourselves on our ability to faithfully reproduce the natural world, be it mineral, plant, animal, or human. 

Aside from direct observations made by Don of birds in the wild, books, photos, and online resources are used. For rare and exotic birds, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC lets us inspect their collection of hand-mounted specimens.

Hand-painting

Painting is where we excel and accounts for the major time spent on a piece. Artistic painting is not learned quickly. Don has taught close to 100 people to paint over the years, both in America and overseas in Scotland. His own career in making and selling art began in 1950 as a second grader in elementary school. In the early years he would finish a day in the studio and then at night paint in his dreams. Today he is known for his painting and carving speed, which in the commercial art world is the key to survival. The result of that experience has helped Overboard Art establish itself as maker of top quality products. Overboard Art’s mission is to faithfully document the beauty of the natural world and how it interacts with and compliments the human world.

Weather Resistant Materials

The sculpture resins we use are outdoor safe, as is the paint. We use Golden matte acrylic water based paints, the same as used on decoys that are thrown overboard. The founder of Golden Paints, produced in New York State, was the father of acrylic paints. He developed them for the outdoor mural painters of Mexico, because other mediums were destroyed from continuous exposure to the elements. 

Finishing the Pieces: Editions, Signed and Numbered

After the piece is painted, care is taken in finishing the pieces. The back or bottom is considered as carefully as any other step in the process. All works come with a “Certificate of Authenticity”, signed and numbered. Most collections are limited editions.

Shipping 

Normally we ship the piece ready to hang with sawtooth hangers, or wire hangers for larger pieces. Our pieces are packed carefully in individual boxes and thoroughly protected.  We rarely have any damage returns. We use UPS ground service for our shipping methods unless faster service is requested and paid for by the customer. We also ship internationally.