Rare Early ’70s Bronze Abstract Planter Box by McCarroll & Gillespe for Forms+surfaces

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Four panels of bonded bronze, designed by Billy Joe McCarroll and David Gillespe for FORMS+SURFACES of California, adorn this unlined … Read more Four panels of bonded bronze, designed by Billy Joe McCarroll and David Gillespe for FORMS+SURFACES of California, adorn this unlined wooden planter box. Heavely textured, “impasto” abstractions, seemingly formed by haphazard strokes from a trowel or palette knife, decorate four sides of the cube, mimicking the application of Venetian plaster. Produced in the 1970s.

Bonded bronze, aka cold cast bronze, is made by pouring a mixture of liquid polymer resin and powdered bronze into a mold. The resulting material is durable and has the look of metal without its weight. It can serve as a relatively affordable alternative to solid bronze for sculptures and architectural elements.

BILLY JOE McCARROLL (b. 1937) is a Postwar American artist, primarily recognized for creating Mid-Century Modern sculptural doors. His work was mainly produced in California during the late 1960s and early 1970s in collaboration with fellow artist DAVID GILLESPE. Their pieces, which also include bars and other furniture, are characterized by textured surfaces and geometric abstraction, and are often said to embody the Brutalist aesthetic. McConnell and Gillespe frequently used materials like bonded-bronze resin, hammered copper, and lacquered wood. Their most famous creations were the Heroic Sunburst doors, which feature a distinct carved sunburst pattern, and were produced by FORMS+SURFACES in the early ’70s. McCarroll holds an MA in Visual Art from California State University.

FORMS+SURFACES is recognized as a top designer and manufacturer of architectural and outdoor products for public environments. They offer a diverse selection of architectural surfaces, elevator interiors, site furniture, and lighting fixtures that blend beauty with utility to enhance the appeal of public spaces.

While the earliest history of the company remains somewhat murky, a consensus seems to support the thesis that it evolved out of the wood-panel carvings of California-based industrial designer Evelyn Ackerman (1924–2012), work that became the basis of the company Panelcarve that she established with her husband Jerome Ackerman (1920–2019) in the 1960s, in partnership with Los Angeles architect Sherrill Broudy (1923–2015). Despite these California origins, F+S was, to some degree, “re-founded” in 1968 in Pittsburgh, Penn. Jeffrey Stork (b. 1959) has been listed as President, CEO, and owner since at least 2001.

With over fifty years of experience, FORMS+SURFACES remains rooted in innovation, craft, and sustainable materials. In 1972, its first bonded-bronze panels were installed at an office building in suburban Chicago. (F+S bonded metals are composite materials that combine metal granules with a polymer matrix, creating an extremely durable product that has the look of solid metal, but is lightweight.) When the building underwent a redesign more than five decades later, the panels were retained due to their condition and timeless aesthetic. In 2016, the legendary Joel Berman Glass Studios of British Columbia were acquired to expand F+S’s glass product lines and rechristened BermanGlass as a subsidiary.

FORMS+SURFACES also produces long-lasting outdoor furnishings: benches, tables, planters, and trash receptacles; precision-crafted LED lighting solutions; and architectural hardware such as door pulls and plates. Their products are featured in a wide range of public and commercial settings, including airports and hotels, office buildings and universities, hospital facilities and parks.

FORMS+SURFACES is committed to sustainability, using green materials and finishes in many of its products. See less