Mold & Slip Casting (Wheel throwers)

Class description

Wheel throwers enrol here. If you are a hand builder, please head back out and enrol in the Mold & Slip Casting: (Hand builders) course. Liz Heller Two-Day Mold & Slip Casting Workshop  Discover the magic of transforming clay forms into reusable molds in this hands-on two-day ceramic workshop creating functional vessels that combine the aesthetics of hand-made pottery with slip-cast precision. This class is open to WPS members of all skill levels. The course will have 7 spaces for wheel throwers, and 5 spaces for hand builders. Wheel throwers will need a basic understanding of centering and throwing on the wheel. No experience in mold-making or slip-casting necessary. Day 1 – From Clay to Mold 9:30am - 4:30pm Students will throw or hand build simple, solid forms under the guidance of an experienced instructor. Then, learn how to create a one-part plaster slip-casting mold directly from your freshly made piece — capturing your original shape in a lasting, consistent form. Day 2 – Casting & Reproduction 1:30pm - 4:30pm Return to your custom mold and dive into the art of slip casting. You’ll learn how to prepare slip, pour and time your casts, and safely demold your pieces. Leave with multiple versions of your original form and a deeper understanding of ceramic reproduction techniques. Start time on day two will be later as we need to dry the molds in the kilns. Materials: Materials including clay, plaster and slip will be supplied by WPS. Students will need: Throwing tools – ribs, sponges, chamois, shaping tools (anything that is in your regular tool kit) Dust mask (optional but recommended) Notepad and pencil for note taking and sketching, fettling knife, brushes for surface decoration and a finishing sponge.    Bio: Your instructor: Liz Heller is an Associate Art Professor at Colorado Mountain College in Aspen, CO, US. Liz learned how to slip cast while getting her MFA in Sculpture then turned it into a profession once she learned how to 3d print her own designs while an Artist in Residence at The Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village, CO in 2014.  Since then, Liz has used various digital fabrication techniques to design her originals and has recently developed this technique for her beginning mold making students, which she now uses in her own studio practice. This will be Liz’s first-time visiting New Zealand and is so excited to learn about the country, the culture, the pottery and the artists. Her website is www.modcrmx.com.