AN EVERLASTING MEMORY

Engraver and family historian Grant Van Antwerp has been perfecting a unique way to ensure that family members are remembered long after a photo has faded

For the last thirty years I have made things disappear! As a paintless dent repair technician skilfully rolling indentations back to true on car bodies. My customers included General Motors South Africa as well as Volkswagen South Africa amongst all my private and dealership customers.

I guess to compensate for this and leave some legacy behind about twenty five years ago I started knife making and engraving.

When my Mom passed away fourteen years ago I was driven to create a remembrance plaque that would never lose her image.

This first plaque was made from stainless steel and resides on my brothers farm in the Karoo, a very arid region of South Africa. One of my Mom’s favourite places.

When my Dad passed two years ago I made a matching plaque that shares the same rock that my Mom’s plaque is attached to.

My two parents united, smiling and basking under the hot African sun.

Bronze being the ultimate in artistic materials, having been used in the art world for the last six thousand years.

The challenge was on to blend bronze with bank note engraving, this having honoured Kings, Queens and Presidents since paper money was adopted.

I felt a finer tribute to anyone has not yet been made.

The trial and error therefore started with me trying various engraving styles to depict the true image but being deep enough to hold the gorgeous patinas that your famous sculptors have used over thousands of years. I finally decided on the current engraving style which to my knowledge has never been used in this way.

Phosphor bronze clad in a heat and chemical patina lives and breathes.

Experience the magnificent examples at your local gallery.

I love creating the classic brown/ gold tones and vintage green/gold patinas which to me are just awesome and timeless.

This led me to create a family tree that is on a wall in our home honouring my set of parents, my wife’s parents as well as my wife and I.

Exposing all these family members from a solid long bar of bronze, by cutting and sculpting away on a lathe, engraving at forty power, lovingly polishing to a lustre, applying the chemicals with open flame has brought much joy and reward to me that I now want to provide this service to anyone who has the same love for family as I have.

I decided to offer a special on any six plaques and only pay for five. This makes a great starting point. Adding to your family tree as required.

Creating a family heirloom that will last for millennia.

Naturally these same plaques lend themselves to adorn the boardrooms of big business honouring all past presidents or founding fathers.

Similarly, sporting heroes adorning the hallways of sport clubs and historic figures in museums.

Attached to a memorial stone, bench or tombstone.

They are beautifully presented in a black box embossed with my logo, they can be hung simply with a wall nail or if in an insecure environment can be chemically bonded via a supplied threaded bar directly into a wall.

Find out more about Grant’s work and the special offer at: https:// grantvanantwerpstudio.com