Thanks to a Cultivate training bursary from Made in Corby I was fortunate to attend an inspiring two day glass casting course at the National Centre for Craft and Design in Sleaford. This may have seemed a strange choice as I don't usually work with clay and don't have a glass casting kiln. However as a printmaker / maker of temporary installations / interventions I am fascinated by making multiples, refections, impressions, light, shade and translucency.
Course tutor and glass artist
Liz Pearson at NCCD
Examples of her glass casts
Materiels to impress in clay
Testing materials and the impressions they make
Trace working area
Finalise design for casting
Place template in mould frame to check size
Place clay inside the mould frame with a few cms clear all round and
paint inside of frame with washing up liquid to act as release agent. make
frame water tight with clay. Mix plaster, and pour from the corner. agitate
table to dispel air bubbles
Wait for plaster to set remove frame
Once plaster is dry gently clean the mould, removing traces of clay.
Mould is then fired to withstand glass casting process.
Draw freehand design into spare clay
place in tub and pour on plaster.
Once plaster is set, release, clean and fire as before
Day two - we carved into the fired plaster batts
Using lino tools to create slumping moulds.
We then learnt how to cut the glass to size ready for firing.
We used fritt and glass scraps to create small pieces.
Fired casts - mine is the darker blue piece above centre
I am excited by the processes I learnt over the course of the weekend and know that what I saw and experienced will influence future work. It was also inspiring to see the other exhibitions in glass and textiles also on display. It was hugely beneficial to spend time in the company of other artists / makers, with hours just to learn and explore. I feel refreshed and excited and wonder where this might take me next!
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