8 may 2018 |
Kona resident tests his mettle with bronze sculpture
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAREN ANDERSON
Howard Bradley’s bronze sun takes
its inspiration from the carving he
did out of a 1,200-pound chunk of
lava rock from his backyard. the
bronze piece hangs within view of
the carving on the lawn (opposite)
just outside the window.
FEaturE
arving sculptures out of lava
rock was a time-consuming,
labor-intensive hobby for Kona
resident Howard Bradley,
whose house and yard is fi lled
with monumental examples of stone artwork
he created from enormous chunks of blue rock
unearthed on his property.
After years of struggle pursuing the arduous
challenge of rock carving, Howard decided to hang
up his diamond blade and transition into the world
of bronze sculpture. His impressive, new pieces
grace the walls of the home he shares with his
wife, Linda, in Kailua-Kona.
“I’ve gone from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age,”
he laughed. “Lava rock sculpting was always a pain.
I’d get half way through a piece after months of
work, and then something would crack and I’d
have to start over. Bronze is way easier because
you carve out of Hydro-Stone, which is like a hard
plaster. I can even do multiples if I make a mold.”
One of his fi rst attempts was a bronze version of
the giant Mr. Sun lava-rock carving he did three
years ago out of a 1,200-pound piece of lava. The
new bronze sun hangs in the dining room within
view of the original lava-rock sculpture that rests
on the lawn just outside the window.
“Everybody loved Mr. Sun, so I thought I’d do
my fi rst bronze sculpture inspired by him,” said