About Marty

MARTY MAGIC’S WORK AND CREATION PROCESS

The jewelry and sculpture I design is created by the lost wax casting process. I personally sculpt each original in wax at my Santa Cruz studio. My designs are then cast into gold, sterling silver or bronze. Fantasy, fairy tales and the magic of nature significantly influence my work.

Marty at San Francisco MOMA.

Marty wearing dragons.

Marty at work.

Each February, I attend the Tuscon Gem and Mineral show and hand pick the gem stones that will inspire my work in the coming season. In 2007, after returning from Tuscon, our family flew to Okinawa, Japan to spend three months. I set up a temporary studio and designed a line of charms inspired by the Okinawa culture. I also focused on creating many higher end, opal and fire agate pieces. My wax carving tools and gemstones all fit into a small brief case and I can set up a temporary work station wherever I travel. I returned home in time to for the 2007 show season. Although I still spend all too much time polishing and finishing my pieces, I have help with the casting. I am capable of doing the casting and last year cast several of my larger bronze sculptures myself, but I especially enjoy the carving, and having help with the production at this stage in my career allows me more creative time to design.

The lost wax casting process involves creating a model in wax that is then suspended in a metal flask and investment is poured around it. (Investment is very much like plaster.) The solidified invested flask is then placed in a kiln and the wax model is slowly melted out until only the negative cavity, the exact shape of the original wax model remains. Molten metal is then centrifugally spun into this negative space, or in the case of larger bronze castings, gravity poured into the negative cavity. After the piece has been cast it must be freed from the plaster and finished. Sprus are cut and ground and various polishing media, patinas and oxidations are used to bring the piece to its final polished state. If gemstones are to be set they are mounted just prior to the final finish.

2007 marked my 30th year in business. Over these many years my business has grown and taken new directions. At this point in my career my jewelry line is quite extensive allowing me more freedom to work on special one of a kind pieces. My favorite avenues of marketing are still the art and craft festivals. Over the years I have built up a strong following of collectors who frequent the many Bay area shows and give me positive feedback in the form of compliments, sales and friendship.

I have a passion for what I do. I love the creative process, watching my pieces take form, and I enjoy interacting with customers and selling my work.

Marty Bobroskie

Kathryn, Marty, Zoe.

Art, Marty, and John