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Creation & Care

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The Creation Process

We always start with hand-picked, quality materials such as solid copper, purchased from local businesses. Depending on the piece, we incorporate a variety of high-quality metals such as solid copper, brass, and silver. All pieces are then welded together using silver brazing rods and/or soft silver solder wire, both of which are the gold-standard in the construction industry.

As a short example

Mark was at an art show many years ago in the St. Louis area. A Boeing engineer approached him about purchasing one of his large-scale crosses, made of solid copper and silver brazed together. The engineer complimented Mark on his use of materials and asked him if he understood the longevity of his pieces. He went on to say that due to the high-quality materials and production value Mark put into each piece, his art could last, untouched, for upwards of thousands of years.

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Glass & Stone Spirit Trees

In our Spirit Trees, we also incorporate pieces of glass and stone. The stone is locally sourced out of the heart of the Ozark Mountains and sealed using a 7-layer epoxy process. This brings out the deepest colors and protects against water and wear for years to come. Due to this sealing process, our Spirit Trees can be kept as good as new with only occasional dusting using a damp cloth. The wire, whether galvanic silver or copper, will have a natural patina process. Slowly, over time, the colors will deepen and shift, making our trees living creations that change with the years.

Our glass is sourced from a local shop in Northern Arkansas

famous for their decorative stained glass and colorful bottles. These pieces of slag glass are byproducts of their creation process that we reuse in our own artwork. As these are authentic pieces of refined glass, we do suggest being cautious with your care and handling. Though we do our best to polish our glass to minimalize sharp edges, there is still the possibility of harm or breakage due to rough handling.

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Silver-Plated Artwork

All of our silver-plated artwork, such as our Heart Clouds, Sugar Skulls, and some of our large-scale wall art, are made from authentic, vintage, silver-plated serving platters. We find each platter in antique shops and online from all over. Each has its own unique age, scroll-work, and history. Many we receive come from estate sales, with engravings of congratulations for past achievements and anniversaries. We wish to take these pieces that are no longer of use to their past owners and repurpose them into something beautiful that will continue to be loved and cherished into the future.

 ! CAUTION !

All of our artwork is made from natural materials such as metals, stone, and glass. Some pieces may have rough or sharp points and edges. Please handle with care and good common sense, as bodily injury can occur if not careful. Keep in mind, Our artwork is not recommended to be handled by children.

Connect With the Team

Learn more about Refreshing Art Studio when you get in touch today. We would love to hear from you soon!