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The creation of Campania’s cast stone pieces begins and ends by hand. From the creation of an original design, making of a mold, pouring the cast stone, application of the patinas to the final packing, the process is both technical and artistic. They have calculated that as many as thirty pairs of hands are involved in the creation of each Campania piece in a labor intensive 15 step process.
The process begins either with the creation of an original copyrighted design by Campania’s artisans or an antique original. Antique originals will often require some restoration work, which is also done in-house by one of their expert craftsmen.
Campania’s mold making department will then begin a multi-step process to create a production mold which will properly replicate the detail and texture of the original piece. Depending on its size and complexity, a mold can take as long as three months to complete. Campania creates in excess of 700 molds per year.
After a mold is completed, it is moved to the production area where a team individually hand pours the liquid cast stone mixture into the mold and employs special techniques to remove air bubbles. Campania carefully monitors the PSI of every piece. PSI (pounds per square inch) measures the strength of every piece to ensure durability. The PSI of Campania pieces is currently engineered at approximately 7500 for optimum strength. Each piece is air dried and then de-molded by hand.
After an internal quality check, pieces are sent to their finishing department where seams are ground and any air holes caused by the pouring process are filled and smoothed. Pieces are then placed on a pallet for stocking in the warehouse.
All Campania pieces are produced and stocked in natural cast stone. When a customer’s order is placed, pieces are pulled and unless a piece is requested in natural cast stone, it is finished in one of our eleven unique patinas. All patinas are applied by hand in a multi-step process; some patinas require three separate color applications. A finisher’s skill in applying the patina and wiping away any excess to highlight detail requires not only technical skill, but also true artistic sensibility. As a result, every Campania piece becomes a unique and original work of garden art.
Statuary and Fountains Can Make a Big Splash in Your Garden
It doesn’t take a gazing ball to see that garden statuary and fountains are booming. According to manufacturers, statuary and fountains are increasing in popularity with garden consumers.
As consumer interest in creating personal outdoor living spaces continues to grow, retailers are fueling this demand by offering a wider range of statuary and fountain designs, which run the gamut from traditional to more modern Zen-inspired pieces.
According to the National Gardening Survey, garden fountains and statuary has remained steady over the last five years. The survey shows that nearly 6 million households bought fountains and statuary to spruce up their gardens in 2005.
Most industry experts agree that people are spending more time in their garden, and more time translates into spending more money on everything to make their outdoor space attractive and appealing.
This comes as no surprise to Peter C. Cilio, creative director of Campania International. “This is a positive trend for us. The cast stone category continues to grow and in response to consumer demand, we’ve quadrupled our fountain offerings in the last five years and each year we continue to add new fountains to the category.”
Cilio says the majority of the growth is with Baby Boomers who are spending more time and money on their homes, inside and out. He feels consumers are becoming more experienced and comfortable with their own styles and tastes in gardening. Campania fountains range from classic European and Asian influenced designs to sleeker and more contemporary styles.
“Homeowners think of their garden as extension of their indoor living space,” explains Cilio. "They plan a nice landscape and do the plantings first. Once they get the bones of the garden established they wish to personalize the space with the addition of a fountain or statuary. Fountains are particularly appealing because they add an additional dimension of a water feature to the garden.”
Whether simple or ornate, you can take advantage of this growing accessory trend if you “decorate” your garden with engaging fountains and statuary.