AT THE WORKSHOP

Location: Canvas Gallery inside Garver Feed Mill

3241 Garver Green, Madison Wi 53704

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 work with non-drying oil clay to create your “pattern” before it gets packed into a sand mold. The iron is a replica of the intricate patterns, textures and shapes that you are going to create into the clay pattern during this class.

A “relief” sclupture means that your creation is one-sided in it’s designs and textures, with the backside staying flat and untouched. The size of your piece must stay within the 8in x 8in x 1.75in (tall) framework. Finished clay designs are taken back to FeLion Studios headquarters in Waunakee, WI after the workshop, for sand molding and clay removal. Sand molds will be brought back to the event site and stored safely in preparation to be cast with molten iron during the "Pour’n Yer Heart Out" public iron pour event at Garver Feed Mill on February 15, 2025.

EXAMPLES OF WHAT TO MAKE:

We’ll start the class out with a 15 min. slideshow of examples from past workshops, and I will talk about some techniques, tools and ideas to consider using during your workshop time. Past examples will include:

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

WHAT TO BRING:

I highly encourage you to bring photos, sketch books, models, small sculptures, found objects, illustrations, textured objects that may be used to transfer that texture onto the clay, 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.

If you are not sure what to bring, no worries! Just bring some beginning ideas, and we will figure it out along the way!

FOOD / DRINK

The businesses at Garver will be OPEN during our workshops, so don’t hesitate to belly up to the Garver Bar, Ian’s Pizza or a poke’ bowl at Roll Play before class to fuel up on your creative energy.

This class is 4 hours long, but you can leave whenever you are done / ready to go within that timeframe. Most folks need 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.

Size of your clay sculpture:

Clay designs are limited to a 8in x 8in x 1.75in (tall) size to learn to control the texture of your ideas and push the limits of your cast iron potential. The resulting cast iron object will be a relief (one-sided) sculpture achieved by sculpting oil clay, and having a sand mold made around that, which Alisa completes in the studio after the clay class ends.

During the clay workshop, we will deep-dive into learning successful approaches, techniques & pro-tips for achieving the maximum detail and textures possible for the sand molding process. Lead by professional sculptor Alisa Toninato of FeLion Studios, the class is designed to inspire, push and guide you through the creative process to get something incredibly unique that will cast in iron very well.

PICKING UP YOUR CASTINGS

Pickup starts 2pm on February 22, 2025 at Garver Feed Mill. Madison, WI.

After the event, the public is welcome to pickup finished “raw” iron casting, meaning there will be some rough edges and further finishing work if you want to refine it or 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.

SAND MOLDING

The FeLion crew will create a resin bonded sand mold around your clay design that records all the tiny details of your piece. The sand mold gets hard like a sugar cube, at which point we carefully remove all of the clay from the hardened sand mold to reveal the precious details of your clay piece that appears in reverse in the mold.

We then spray a thin layer of alcohol/graphite mixture across the detailed sand mold to help the iron release from the sand easily and make for the smoothest casting we can get. The mold is then ready for molten iron!

After casting and solidifying, the molds are broken up and discarded as clean fill, and the casting will be a replica of your clay design. You get a truly one-of-a-kind cast iron art piece that you made from your own hands!

ALL SKILL LEVELS WELCOMED!

This is a fun and relaxed class open to any skill level and person who is willing to try something new and embrace the creative process of clay working. Some of the best pieces we have seen are made by complete novices of this medium, without any previous knowledge of the process.