Bronze Casting: Casting in the Foundry

Cast your own pattern or use one of BARN's in this introduction to metal casting.

Meeting Times

Thur, 5/16/2024 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Thur, 5/16/2024

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About

Learn and advance your metal-art skills by casting bronze or aluminum into a mold you've already created or one of our stock patterns.

Molten metal is poured into the mold you’ve formed in green sand (an environmentally safe mixture of fine sand, clay, and water). After your casting cools, you’ll free it from the mold and experience the thrill as your artistic creation emerges.

This is the second class in a 3 part series taking you though the process of creating your bronze masterpiece. This series is self paced and separate registration in each class is required.

Bronze Casting: Patternmaking - Create a pattern you can cast into metal and begin your casting journey!
Bronze Casting: Casting in the Foundry (This Class) - Cast your own pattern or use one of BARN's in this introduction to metal casting.
Bronze Casting: Finishing Your Casting - Learn how to finish your rough casting with all of its unwanted gates, sprues, and runners.

We recommend repeating this class as desired (the same recommendation stands for the Bronze Casting: Finishing Your Casting class and, of course, guided studio in the foundry, which is where advanced casting skills are built).

Details

This class meets off site at 9392 Wardwell Ave. N.E., Bainbridge Island

Materials

A materials fee of $25, included in the cost of the class, covers all you'll need.

Class Policies

Ages 14 and up are welcome
Wear natural fiber clothing, long pants, long sleeves, and closed-toe shoes (natural fiber or leather). No stretch fabrics, hoodie ties, or dangling jewelry such as bracelets that can get caught in machinery. Tie back long hair.

BARN Policies

View BARN's Cancellation and Refund Policy
View BARN's current COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
BARN is committed to accessibility. Tuition Assistance is available. Fill out the application before registering.
Makerspaces like BARN can be noisy and cluttered, smell strongly, and have bright or flickering lights. We try to make accommodations when requested; the earlier you contact us, the more likely we can help. Please email accessibility@bainbridgebarn.org to find out more or request an accommodation.
For those who might need physical assistance, learn more about BARN's Companion Program.

Instructors or Guides

Mario Oblak

Mario Oblak honed his passion for casting metal with a BFA (University of Washington) and an MFA (Rhode Island School of Design) in sculpture. Creating, designing, and building in different materials and mediums is a joy, but working in liquid metal is “it” for him. Mario feels “casting is a magical process that requires patience, skill, labor, and teamwork, with the results both satisfying and permanent.” By sharing his knowledge and experience, Mario wants to help others explore, learn, and develop skills so they can see their ideas come to life.

Jeff Oens

Jeff Oens is a widely renowned sculptor with bronze artwork exhibited in prominent art collections and public displays across the United States and Canada. He is best known for his outstanding wildlife sculptures, but his portfolio also includes human figures, mythical creatures, and other diverse subjects, ranging in size from miniature to monumental. Many of Jeff’s sculptures can be seen around the industrial park on Three Tree Lane.

Frank Wurden

Frank Wurden earned his BS in electrical engineering at the University of Washington, and a BFA degree with an emphasis in life drawing, sculpting, and foundry art working with green sand, CO2 sand casting, investment casting, and ceramic shell casting. Sculpture materials were clay, foam, wood, or wax for the patterns, and casting in aluminum, bronze, and stainless steel. Frank says it’s been many years since he's actually done casting, so it’s great fun to get back into it.