Battle Ground, Washington, Aug. 05, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
When one’s business and personal activities are entwined, the most remarkable things can occur. For example: While on vacation in Maui last year, Mark Russo was captivated when he discovered an array of unique sculptures on display in one of the resort’s galleries. Founder and Chairman of Treasure Investments Corporation, lifelong and serious art-lover, Mark was charmed by these whimsical marine life and land critter figures. He soon learned they were created by Steven Lee Meltzer, one of the hottest selling artists in Hawaii.
Mark was immediately intrigued by Smeltzer, self-described as an artist who finds himself entangled in a web of nonsense. Others have said he’s a creative genius disguised as a “regular dude.”
Within a few hours, an excited Mark Russo was being hosted by the free-spirited artist, at his island home and studio. Mark relates, “I fell in love with his fanciful creations and was intrigued with the artist. I just knew there would be many people, not just art lovers, who would be as captivated as I was, with these atypical images.
The consequence of serendipity is sometimes a brilliant discovery, and I knew just by happenstance, that we’d made just such a discovery in Steven Lee Meltzer!”
Mark added, “Immediately, I realized that our company, one that has focused on luxury in the very high-end art world, could broaden its base with this artist. Here was an opportunity to provide product at a lower end of the market for clients who could afford a few hundred dollars, as well as those who invest thousands of dollars, per piece. Foundry Michelangelo is already structured and able to expand and market these one-of-a-kind, brilliantly hand-painted, kiln-fired clay figures. I simply asked him if he’d ever done anything before to distribute his artwork worldwide. He admitted that he had not and had been selling his pieces strictly on the island of Maui. He was as intrigued with what we could offer, as I was with his talent. I recognized that what his fanciful mind and skilled hands do to transform a piece of clay is simply remarkable, and the results are totally charming. The fact is, he’s a true artisan. Steven said that if his art makes you smile, it is doing its job. A giraffe ballerina en pointe…. a fluorescent fish with a toothy grin…. these and others certainly made ME smile.”
Therefore, Treasure Investments Corporation DBA Foundry Michelangelo is delighted to announce that they have contracted with Steven L. Smeltzer to merchandise his fanciful, whimsical, and unique works throughout the United States.
Though difficult to choose which creations to launch, Foundry Michelangelo has selected ten of the favorites and have taken delivery of those originals: sea creatures and land critters; all one-of-a-kind. The art pieces are actively in production now, and Foundry Michelangelo is excited to announce that the first limited-edition creatures and critters sculptures will be distributed to gift and collectible shops in the Fall of 2019.
Victor Charles, an 18th Century French critic, once said, “The sure way to miss success is to miss the opportunity.” Twenty-first Century businessman, Mark Russo, lives that credo, as evidenced by an opportunity seized during a holiday in Hawaii, that resulted in this latest and most extraordinary arrangement with Maui artist, Steven Lee Smeltzer. As Mark added, “I just love these capricious creatures. Look at their faces! They just make me smile. I predict they’re the next big thing!”
Now with an opportunity to broaden their position in the art market with these fanciful sculptures, Foundry Michelangelo will continue to provide artworks as they have in the past, from the existing phenomenal master mold collection, AND a recently acquired new mold collection that has taken the past 40 years to assemble. Over 200 world-famous master artists are represented in this latest acquisition, including Frederic Remington, C. M. Russell, Edgar Degas, and Auguste Rodin.
We are now actively creating works from nearly 2,000 different molds, ranging from the high-end fine art pieces in bronze, silver, resin, and other mediums, to the other end of the market: kiln-dried colorful clay and fanciful works by Steven Lee Smeltzer.
About Foundry Michelangelo:
Foundry Michelangelo, “The Source for the world’s greatest fine art masterpieces,” creates original sculptures from small desktop collectibles to larger-than-life heroic monuments cast in bronze, pure silver, gold, and resin. The company’s master mold collection contains hundreds of original molds from world-famous artists, including Frederic Remington, C.M. Russell, Edgar Degas, Auguste Rodin, Ghiglieri, and Michelangelo. For more information, visit FoundryMichelangelo.com.
Media Contact:
Mark Russo
Phone: 360.954.5453
Email: mark@foundrymichelangelo.com
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