To New York and back: Sculptor Drew Burgess’ journey to bronze casting

Drew Burgess found his passion in seventh grade.

From the first day of sculpting class at Simmons Middle School, he knew he’d be a sculptor.

In those formative years he worked with traditional mediums such as ceramic and clay.

“I can draw and paint, but I love three-dimensional work,” he said.  And that’s why he gravitated to sculpting.

He graduated from Auburn with a degree in graphic arts and in 2006 packed his bags and moved to New York City.

But before he could unpack his bags, he landed a job with Scholastic Publications, which produces children’s books.

His living quarters were so small in the city that he had to take a fresh look at the materials with which he worked.

He started working with plasticine, an oil-base clay that doesn’t dry.

“That’s when I learned to make rubber molds,” he remembered.

The next step in his sculpting education was working with wax and casting in iron. Acquiring those skills was essential in getting to casting in bronze, which is now his focus.

“Moving to New York is the best decision I ever made. Plus, it’s were I met my wife, Zoe.”

They married in 2010.

The couple later moved closer to her parents in Boston, where Burgess was hired on with a foundry that specialized in artwork. It was there he learned to cast.

When the couple was expecting their first child, they decided to move back to Homewood for its focus on families.

His dad had a fixer-upper house in the area that he’d plan to renovate and sell, but when he learned that Drew and Zoe were thinking about moving back to Alabama, he offered the house to them. They jumped at the opportunity.

They’ve been back in town a few months and Burgess is working with his dad to renovate. Once completed, he’ll have space for a sculpting workshop in his garage.

“I don’t watch TV or other things. I play with my son, Luke, and I sculpt. That’s what I love to do in my spare time.”

Most of Burgess’ work is in private collections, so until he gets settled in and produces some more pieces, the best place to see his work is drew-burgess.com. 

Since moving to Birmingham, Burgess has worked for The Birmingham News doing design, pre-press and computer work, which he also enjoys very much because it requires both creativity and technical expertise.

He’s currently accepting commissions for portraits and is in the preliminary stages for bronze sculptures of children.

Mold making is a slow process, so if someone wants a sculpture for next Christmas, it’s better to get started sooner than later, he said.

Burgess is re-establishing contacts in the local art community and is excited about his family’s future in Homewood.