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Gwen L Kelling
Verdin Bell Foundry,
Cincinnati, Ohio
As full-time bell sculptor at the Verdin Company bell and clock factory in Cincinnati from 2016-2021, I used sand and ceramic molds to create decorated bronze bells for customers nationwide. The majority of the bells are sand-cast, with ceramic shell molds used occasionally for particularly elaborate crowns.
 Cathedral BellsTwo bells from a peale of four for a cathedral in Richmond, Virginia |  Hershey Kiss Bell |  Verdin's 175th Anniversary Bell1,130 pounds of artistic license with a lost-wax ceramic shell mold for the crown added atop the traditional sand mold for the majority of the bell. |
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 Breathing Simulator BustA life-size bronze bust to be used by an Air Force laboratory to test pilots' oxygen respirators |  New York Stock Exchange bell24" diameter, an identical replica of the New York Stock Exchange bell, with a new sandblasted inscription celebrating the 225th anniversary of the exchange in 2017. I pulled a mold from the original on site in the NYSE building on Wall Street and returned to Cincinnati to create the copy. |  Spanish Mission Bell24" diameter, an identical replica of a cracked original bell from California |
 Half-Scale Liberty BellA 24"-diameter bell produced for the College of Osteopathic Medicine of Liberty University in Virginia, February 2016 |  Lutheran Bells24" diameter, celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Church, with raised inscription, custom lost wax crown and 3D-rendered logo |  Restored BellA 15"-diameter VanBergen bell restored in high style with bands of the original dark patina preserved for constrast. |
 Brigham Young University bells8" and 10" bells for alumni of the university |  Ship's bellRecovered in Biscayne National Park off the coast of Florida, replicated by lost wax process |  Replicating a fire-damaged bellOn the left is a bronze exact replica of a fire-damaged bell that was damaged beyond repair in a blaze at a Lutheran church in Minnesota. |
 IMG_107137" diameter, a bell for the Cloisters on the Platte in Nebraska, with raised inscription and 3D-rendered logo |  Missouri Western Bell29" diameter bell for a university in Missouri, with raised inscription and 3D-rendered logo |  Virtual BellA 3d rendering of a bell with crown |
Verdin Street Clocks,
Cincinnati, Ohio
The Verdin Company also excels in the production of large street clocks for public spaces. After decades of wear and tear some need extensive restoration to modernize their movements and lights and to bring their paint back to its original appearance. Pictured are Verdin clocks I have restored since my hire as well as a McClintock clock from the 1920s which underwent a full restoration in the shop over the fall of 2017.
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 |  |  Seth Thomas restorationThis clock is located at Tremont Center, Upper Arlington, Ohio. It was made by the Seth Thomas company in the 1920's. The restoration involved total disassembly of all the cast iron components, sandblasting, recasting broken elements, installing a new electric timepiece and LED lights, and repainting all the clock parts and the dials. The clock was put back in place in October 2019. |
 |  Clementon, New JerseyFull restoration |  Zelionople, PennsylvaniaFull restoration of a 1920s McClintock clock including new timepieces, LED lights, copper cladding, restored glass and electronic chimes |
 Dallas, North CarolinaFull restoration |  Manteo, North CarolinaPaint restoration |
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