Casting Organics

Multisession Duration: 6 hrs completed over 2 days. By purchasing a ticket, you are committing to attend all meetings included in the multisession. Scroll down to reference the Agenda page to indicate which ticket to purchase for that session!

Class Description

Students will bring in their own foraged pinecones, acorns, fibers, bark, succulents, and other natural objects. There will also be organic materials available to choose from.

On day one, we’ll add wax sprues and do wax repairs where appropriate, then prepare investment molds with the objects inside. After an overnight burnout in a kiln, we’ll cast our objects in bronze and learn about various polishing/finishing techniques.

The materials fee for this class is $25. This is separate from the ticket price and is to reimburse the instructor for any tools or materials used in this class. This will be paid once, directly to the instructor at the start of the first class meeting. This instructor accepts Venmo or Cash.

Learning Objectives

• Wax sprueing
• Gauging appropriate thicknesses for casting
• Making investment molds
• Electromelt and crucible operation
• Casting technique
• Finishing and polishing

Instructor - Eli West ( IG: eliwest_metalworks)

Eli is a metal artist and casting instructor at Artisans Asylum in Boston. He studied geology and studio art in college.

He enjoys casting in bronze, making steel and stone botanical sculptures, and forming sheet metal into functional forms. He draws inspiration from spending time in nature and from childhood memories of people, landscapes, and animals. He likes learning about and visualizing biological processes and geographic features in his art.

Target Audience

16+ age minimum.

Students Should Bring

• Closed-toe shoes
• Foraged organic objects for casting (ideally small and dry)

Your Ticket Includes

• Wax
• Investment
• Bronze
• Polishing equipment
• Access to A2's Casting shop and tools for the duration of the session.

Class Policies

Attire: Attendants should wear closed-toed, slip-resistant shoes (steel-toe work boots are ideal), long pants, and no loose-fitting clothing that could possibly get caught in machinery. Make sure to wear only natural fibers (i.e., cotton, wool, linen, etc) and bring reading glasses if needed for detailed work.

Learn more about our class and ticket cancelation policies Here.

Please email education@artisansasylum.com with any questions.

*Sales end 24 hours before the start of the class to allow the instructor and staff time to prep.