CHOOSE A SHAPE

The embossed shaped in these sand molds is a starting point or background shape to the design that you will carve into and around it. There are 5 different shapes to choose from in each sand mold available for this workshop. Be sure to select the one that you would like to have during class at checkout.

Each shape is roughly 6in x 6in x .5in deep. Participants may carve inside and outside of the shape as long as it there is .75” of sand left untouched from the edge and bottom of the mold. The more space around the shape in the sand mold, the more opportunity you have to carve something crazy and creative outside of the shape’s profile.

Final castings average 4-5 lbs of iron, but they could weigh more depending on how deep your carving really gets!

AT THE WORKSHOP

Location: Canvas Gallery inside Garver Feed Mill, 3241 Garver Green, Madison WI 53704

Wear comfortable clothes that cover your arms and legs, and closed toed shoes suitable for walking on a cement floor and sitting down to carve sand for a couple of hours.

There will be no molten iron flowin’ quite yet! We are starting with the creative part of the foundry process at this workshop, which is to carve the designs into your sand mold so that we can fill them with molten iron to create an iron reverse of your carving.

Loose sand will pile up around you, so dress for the mess! We will be making a hot mess of the tables, chairs and floors while carving away at the cured sand molds in order to create a relief style casting for the iron pour.

The primary material of the sand molds is silica sand and a non-toxic, water-based resin binder called “sodium silicate”, made mostly of sodium.This highly “salty” resin binder in the sand has the ability to irritate some people’s skin. We provide basic PPE such as safety glasses, P100 masks and nitrile gloves, but please bring a long sleeved shirt just in case you’d need it!

EXAMPLES OF WHAT TO MAKE:

We’ll start the class out with a 20 min. slideshow of examples from past workshops, and I will talk about some techniques, tools and ideas to consider using during your workshop time.

I highly encourage you to bring photos, sketch books, models, small sculptures, found objects, illustrations or whatever it might be that will help inspire and guide you as you work through a more dimensional version of your idea in clay.

Past examples will include:

• Picture frames, bookends, home address numbers, garden signs, trivets, candle holders, a small sign for your home or office, baby names, wall hangings, change trays, coffee coasters, wedding gifts, or just making  an original piece of sculptural art to admire on the wall!

SAFETY FIRST:

We provide PPE (SAFETY GEAR), including P100 dust masks, safety glasses and nitrile gloves to wear during class. It is not mandatory to wear this equipment, but some people like the extra protection.

If you have your own PPE, I encourage you to bring it for comfort or convenience.

Please leave the Dremels or other rotary) tools at home for this workshop, as it can create a lot of environmental dust that is hard to control in this space. If you decide you would like to use one, you can carve what you can by hand at the workshop and take your mold with you after class to put those finishing touches into the piece at your own garage or home studio.

FOOD / DRINK

Garver businesses will be OPEN during our workshops, so don’t hesitate to belly up to Garver Bar or grab a snack at Ian’s Pizza or Poke’ bowl at Roll Play before class.

This class is 2 hours long, but you can leave whenever you are done / ready to go within that timeframe. Most folks enjoy a snack and something else to drink during that time, so be sure to bring whatever snacks and drinks suites you to keep the creative fires lit and the ideas lubricated.

PICKING UP YOUR CASTINGS

February 22, 2025 (1 week after our iron pour event)

After the event, the public can pickup their castings starting at 2pm on Saturday, February 22, 2025 at Canvas Gallery in Garver Feed Mill. Castings are “raw” iron, meaning there will be some light sanding to rough edges, and finishing work ahead if you want to keep it from rusting.

Finishing booklets are available to workshop attendees after the class to help you gather a game plan of what else you can do beyond the raw casting, to finish and seal your iron casting.