Photo credit: Gene Glasco

MEMORIAL DAY IN ARCADIA, CA

This Memorial Day, fourteen US servicemen from Arcadia, California, who died in the Vietnam War, were honored in the county park at the newly constructed Arcadia Vietnam War Monument. The project was spearheaded by Gene Glasco, a veteran of the Vietnam War and Arcadia City Clerk. The monument structure was fabricated and set in time for a special dedication ceremony on Saturday, May 29th. 

For Arcadia Weekly, Glasco stated that “the Arcadia Vietnam War Monument has been built in honor of Arcadia’s sons lost in battle, but it also stands in tribute to all living Vietnam Era veterans.” The bronze plaque on the front of the monument commemorates the fourteen Arcadia casualties of the Vietnam War. On the back are three cast aluminum plaques, one of which commemorates additional veterans from WWI, WW2, Korea, Vietnam and as recent as Afghanistan.  

In addition to the four cast bronze and aluminum plaques, Masterwork Plaques designed and fabricated the waterjet cut letters and military seals which were also inset into the front of the monument.  

Photo credit: Gene Glasco

WATERJET CUT LETTERS

“Waterjet” refers to machinery that uses a pressurized stream of water to cut through a variety of materials (most commonly metal). The water is forced through a small hole to focus high pressure water into a very thin stream. This stream is powerful enough to cut out precise, free-form shapes, which we use primarily to cut individual metal letters (from any font) in a wide range of sizes. The individual bronze letters shown in the monument are 3” in height and 1/4” thick.

DONOR SIGNAGE

The cast plaques on this monument are a great examples of donor signage. The majority of the money needed to create this monument was fundraised and donated by organizations and generous individuals from Arcadia. Masterwork Plaques can create donor plaques at just about any size, to fit a large or small list of names for honored donors.

Our studio's donor plaques can be created in two ways:

1. Perpetual Plaques:  When a continually growing list of donors needs to be honored, individual name plaques can be added to the plaque over time.  

2. Cast List Plaques:  This donor list plaque can be created in one piece for a list of contributors that does not need to be added to over time.  Every few years a new plaque can be added to a wall featuring an updated list of recent donors.

For more information on our cast donor plaques and waterjet cut projects, contact us at masterworkplaques@gmail.com.

In addition to custom bronze plaques, Masterwork Plaques can create a variety of armed service medallions, military insignias, service crests, badges and veteran memorials from existing military artwork and logos.  These metal military seals can be created from any of the materials we offer, from cast bronze and cast aluminum, to etched bronze, aluminum, stainless steel, brass and zinc.  Each metal offers its own function and unique qualities.  Bronze and brass typically are considered more traditional looking metals whereas stainless steel, aluminum and zinc give the armed service plaque a contemporary feel.  

MILITARY SEALS & CRESTS

BAS-RELIEF MILITARY SEALS

Military seals are most traditionally created using a cast bronze, bas-relief technique.  This armed service seal style includes prismatic, hand-carved emblems and surrounding raised text with customized border. We have a variety of existing bas-relief patterns for military seals in stock at our studio. If another version of the military crest is requested, our studio clay-artists can hand-carve a new pattern to recreate the specific armed service seal to our client’s specific needs.

Our in-stock patterns include:

• U.S. Army plaques
• Department of the Navy plaques
• Department of the Air Force plaques
• U.S. Marine Corps plaques
• U.S. Coast Guard plaques
• Etched or Cast Military Plaques
• Bas-Relief and Flat Relief military plaques

ETCHED MILITARY SEALS

As a cost-effective alternative to cast bronze bas-relief medallions, we also offer “etched” military seals.  Etched plaques and medallions are lighter in weight and offer a more contemporary look.  Rather than including dimensional elements, these emblems are created graphically, with simple raised and recessed areas.  Graphic military seals give each plaque an illustrated and sleek design. 

FULL-COLOR MILITARY SEALS

Another alternative we offer is the recreation of full color logos and seals on metal military plaques. This process is best used for interior applications.  Using your high-quality photograph, we can create a full-color, printed metal replication of the logo or military crest of your choice.  This process is not created by digitally printing onto laminate or plastic; instead, it seals various dyes into anodized aluminum for a long-lasting, quality product.

VETERAN MEMORIALS / MILITARY BASE PLAQUES

Masterwork Plaques specializes in the creation of Veteran memorials and custom military base plaques.  Tributes to veterans can consist of cast bronze nameplates, commemorative plaques, illustrated bas-relief carvings, photo-portraits, etc.  Veteran recognition plaques can be installed on a wall, at a memorial site, inset into custom plinths or be given as gifts to deserving service members.  Masterwork Plaques provides design assistance and the necessary hardware for all these installations.

 Our studio has experience creating large-scale medallions for the entrances of various military bases and training facilities, as an alternative to plastic or glass signage.  Our custom circular medallions can be inset into the paving, on a wall, or the entrance lobby of your building to include a military base logo, armed forces seal, or other artwork.  Masterwork Plaques past clients include: The West Point Military Academy, The F.B.I., NASA Washington DC, US Department of State, The Los Angeles Police Department, The Los Angeles Fire Department, The Dallas Police Department, The City of New York and more.

For more information on military and veteran plaques, contact us at masterworkplaques@gmail.com.