"Lost and Found: Moldmaking for Kiln Cast Glass" with Debra Ruzinsky, August 3-5, 2018, Appalachian Center for Crafts, Smithville, TN
The process of making a refractory mold for Vestige, cast using the lost wax casting process. Debra Ruzinsky made this work when she was part of the Seto International Glass and Ceramics Exchange program in 2008.
Learn to transform small found objects into glass castings by using the lost wax process.
First, the class will tackle the basics of making rubber molds of found objects. Discuss undercuts, multipart moldmaking, and casting challenges. Learn the variety of materials available and which materials are best in different situations (silicones, urethanes, alginate) based on the nature of the found object being molded.
Then, make refractory molds from wax shapes pulled from the rubber mold and use the lost wax casting process to create a glass casting. Finished glass castings will be shipped to students or picked up after firing.
$300, all skill levels welcome
Artwork shown above: Vestige, Debra Ruzinsky, 2008. Kiln-cast glass powder, 4.5"w x 4.5"d x 8"h. Photo: Elizabeth Lamark
A kiln full of student casting projects
Working primarily in kiln-formed glass, Debra Ruzinsky earned a BA in Design from UCLA and an MFA in Glass from RIT. Ruzinsky is the Director of Tennessee Tech University's Appalachian Center for Craft.