About Us
For more than three thousand years, artists have cast sculptures in bronze. The mission of ICON Artwork's founder Matt Palmer and featured artist's Robin Richerson and Tim Wolfe is to immortalize treasured icons...and cast bronze is a timeless, classic art form!
Using the ancient lost-wax casting method, bronze is the ultimate realization for fine art sculpted of clay because of its flawless rendering of detail, its permanence, and its unrivaled richness when it comes to textures and patinas. Bronze is an extremely durable metal lasting for centuries and cast bronze sculptures allow for a variety of patina finishes and plating options.
In addition to our Signature Cast Bronze sculptures, ICON Artworks uses a variety of other materials and refined casting methods, including Cast Pewter and Cast Resin.
Our Cast Pewter is the highest quality, lead-free Fine Pewter alloy used for sculpture. After platinum, gold, and silver, pewter is the fourth-most-precious metal in the world. Pewter has been used since the Bronze Age because of its lustrous silver finish, its malleability, durability and its ability to capture incredibly fine detail. Pewter does not rust or deteriorate and can be enjoyed for generations.
We also utilize "cold-cast" techniques pioneered by the late KU art professor Elden Tefft, which enable our team of skilled artisans to create remarkable replicas using metal or stone powders and modern casting resins. This method bypasses the lengthy lost-wax casting process and is, therefore, a more economical alternative to hot-cast bronze or pewter.
From miniature to monumental, the ICON Artworks brand exemplifies the stunning, inspirational art created by the hands of acclaimed sculptors Robin Richerson and Tim Wolfe.
Robin Richerson has been an active artist for nearly three decades and has developed a remarkable ability to breathe life into clay. Robin received a Bachelor of Arts degree in fine art from the University of Missouri. After graduation, Robin was mentored for four years by Kwan Wu, a Chinese-American sculptor widely considered to be one of the best figurative sculptors in the world today.
Robin has produced more than 200 commissions for businesses, organizations, schools & universities, and private collectors across the US and Europe.
Tim Wolfe is heralded as one of the most talented wildlife artists in the country. Tim’s love of nature led him to study animal anatomy at A.I.T. in Janesville, Wisconsin and in 1983, Tim moved to Charlotte, North Carolina to continue his education in Commercial Art and Advertising Design. During that time, Tim began sculpting for an art manufacturer in Davidson, North Carolina. Over the next 12 years, he had built a large collection of over 300 sculptures and had amassed a loyal following.
Tim’s remarkable understanding and knowledge of both animal and human anatomy, combined with an extraordinary artistic talent has led him to international recognition for his sculpture. His artworks now reside in thousands of private collections throughout the world. In addition, Tim has produced dozens of sculptures officially licensed by the NFL, MLB and numerous colleges & universities.
Matt Palmer, the founder of ICON Artworks, has admired his uncle Robin's works of art for many years. ICON Artworks was born out of their entrepreneurial spirit and passion for sports (particularly the Jayhawks at Matt's alma mater, The University of Kansas).
ICON Artworks sculptures are proudly handcrafted exclusively in America. Our series of Collegiate Sports Icons are officially licensed by each respective university and Learfield IMG College Licensing, Fanatics Licensing Management and Affinity Licensing.
Our team of skilled artisans, under the supervision of Robin Richerson and Tim Wolfe, hand-finish each individual sculpture to ensure the desired patina (or finish) has been achieved and that our standards of excellence are met.
Each of our Collegiate Sports Icons can be customized or personalized with a laser engraved base and is backed by an unconditional 30-Day Total Satisfaction Guarantee. Secure shopping in our online gallery...secure shipping around the globe. All packaging utilizes 100% recycled or recyclable materials.
Contact us today for a free design consultation. From concept to creation and from miniature to monumental...we can make your vision a reality!
Click here to contact Matt Palmer: Matt@iconartworks.com