Jumping Tarpon
$880.00 – $2,880.00
Tarpons are large fish that grow to about 4–8 ft long and weigh 60–280 lbs. They have bluish or greenish backs with distinctive lateral lines and shiny, silvery scales covering most of their bodies, excluding the head.
Description
Our tarpon steel sculptures are uniquely handcrafted using my specialized fire color hardening technique. Tarpons are large fish that grow to about 4–8 ft long and weigh 60–280 lbs. They have bluish or greenish backs with distinctive lateral lines and shiny, silvery scales covering most of their bodies, excluding the head. They have large eyes with adipose eyelids and broad mouths with prominent lower jaws that jut out farther than the rest of the face. The design process starts with an original hand drawn rendering of a mighty tarpon found in both the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific Oceans.
I grind and shape each individual tarpon sculpture, using controlled heat up to 1800°F to permanently set an array of colors into the molecular structure of the steel. As the metal is heated, quantum crystalline changes occur bringing out vibrant reds, purples, blues and grays. No paints or coatings are used, just the natural physics of steel. And no two pieces are ever identical, making each a unique interpretation of this powerful gamefish.
The finished steel sculpture is then fitted by hand with marine grade stainless brackets to perfectly balance its hang angle. Though durable for lifetime outdoor installments near water, care should be taken to inspect fittings periodically. Proudly made by me in Central Florida. For interior or exterior decoration, these one-of-a-kind fish celebrate the mighty tarpon through tempo-art steel interpretations.
*All of our sculptures come with stainless steel brackets and hardware for mounting.
Additional information
| Face | Left, Right |
|---|---|
| Items | 36" Jumping Tarpon Sculpture – $880.00, 60 x 26" Jumping Tarpon Sculpture – $2880.00 |
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Armando R. Hevia, a passionate artist and sport fisherman enthusiast, was born in Havana, Cuba, but moved to the U.S. as a young child. He has lived Orlando, Florida since 1972. Fortunately, Florida is a premier destination for fishing, and the open seas have given him a wide realm of both observation and discernment, fueling his creativity to replicate sea life in his own vision.
Armando has always loved to draw, and studied both Commercial Art and Welding at Mid-Florida Tech in Orlando. His welding knowledge prompted him to experiment with creating his first metal sculpture over 20 years ago. What began as a hobby has turned into much more, and he has methodically developed his stainless steel sculptures depicting sea life. All sculptures begin with a hand drawn design before the metal is cut to the proper specifications of each fish. He then grinds each piece to add depth and dimension into each piece. The array of colors is achieved by controlled heat, a process known as fire color. The colors are not painted on, but rather drawn out of the metal by different temperatures of heat. The colors are then embedded into the steel permanently. Each piece is original, and no two pieces are alike.
Armando not only has a passion for, but takes pride in each piece of art he creates. It is clear he has an innate, intuitive gift for art, and is willing and able to create anything the mind can imagine.