
New pipe organ carvings for Bruton Parish Episcopal Church in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.
Bruton Parish Church was established in 1674, the church was constructed between 1711-15 in the Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area. Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Richard Henry Lee, George Wythe, Patrick Henry, and George Mason were among those who attended services at Bruton Parish Church.
A new pipe organ was successfully built by the Dobson organ builders. I designed and carved the pipe shades together with the organ builder's suggestions and my knowledge in the early 18 th century Georgian architectural ornament. The Greek revival Palladian style flourished in England as well as in the United States.
About the new pipe organ sculptures and their relationship with the casework:
A total of eleven carvings based from six new designs were produced to identify the organ case esthetic according to its permanent location. The new pipe organ sculptures are fixed under their architraves and also below the swan neck pediments. A pair of consoles or corbels are supporting the swan neck pediments highlighting the central part of the organ façade. Two winding carved rosettes were inserted within the collars of the serpentine pediments. An anthemion carved in a Greek revival style is situated at the top.
All six pipe shades carvings were made in basswood and carved in about ¾ “thickness material, for the two consoles or corbels 2”. The anthemion and the two rosettes were carved in 1 ½”material.
Having in mind that the carvings were going to be gilded, I tooled the surfaces prior to finishing in anticipation for a unified gold appearance.
Rosettes



Winding and unwinding carved rosettes



Unwinding carved rosette



Carved rosette inserted in swan neck pediment collar



Swan neck pediment pipe shades



Bass and treble outer towers pipe shades















Towers pipe shades next to pediment









Consoles












Consoles carving progress
Acroterion






Acroterion carving progress



Swan neck pediments





