A commission with a purpose...

Recently I was asked to paint this large (40 x 60) landscape for AAR; American Art Resources. AAR is a Houston based company that specializes in consulting with the medical industry in placement of art to maximize healing and general effectiveness for patients in hospital care. It turns out that some of my easel painting fits their objectives very well... and after placing several of my works, they special ordered this painting, called Deer Valley Cactus...

Here are a few more of my works that have been used in Texas hospitals...

The resaerch AAR has done has created a demand for what they call "evidence based art," art that has been proven to help patients and medical staff in healing and rehabilitation.

 Congratulations to AAR on the groundbreaking work they are doing, and thanks for choosing Cushman art! 

One last look...

Here is one last good look at "Frank" before he goes under the knife... and endures the molding process... I think we will all miss the wonderful terra cotta look and feel of the original...

 

before the molds are made...

More wierd than fiction...

First the arms, hat and guns were removed to be molded separately... then... WOW!

This is called "carding," it turns out the best thing for making separations in the molds

Frank is now enduring the mold making process where the clay is copied by rubber molds, in order to be able to make wax reproductions of every part. In the process the clay will be messed up... but it would be possible to fix it... but there is no reason to. The clay is too soft and vulnerable to be kept.  This is just a part of the casting procedure. We are headed for a bronze Frank!

Looks pretty silly in the meantime... check out this action...

the dismemberment is strategized...

off with the right arm!

Butchered and humiliated, he is now covered in about a half inch of rubber...

The whole process of casting this sculpture will be featured, step by step, in the Page titled "Making the Frank Hamer Monument" on the HOME page.