Lost Wax Casting with Sterling Silver
Lost wax casting techniques have been used by jewelers for thousands of years to create volumetric metal forms through wax working. In this weekly class students will learn how to carve and shape wax, how to sprue (or attach) the wax carving for casting, how to then properly and safely cast the wax in metal, and finally how to clean up and finish the metal castings. Students can expect to walk away with several pieces of cast jewelry or small-scale metal objects.
Meet the instructor
William Vanaria is a Massachusetts based artist with a penchant for oddball materials. His work utilizes traditional metalsmithing techniques and a wide verity of non-traditional materials to produce jewelry which both questions and comments on notions of romanticism, value, fakery, and the hierarchy of materials present within modern day consumer culture. Through his work he pushes for a broader system of value which has been formulated though experience, consideration, and critical thinking.
William received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design with a concentration in "Jewelry & Metalsmithing" in 2012. Afterwards, he spent time working within the jewelry industry and volunteering as a teacher's assistant for various art institutions. He found that the latter was much more fulfilling, so he went on to further his education within the arts and to pursue a career in teaching. William received his Masters of Fine Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts: Dartmouth in 2016; once again with a concentration in "Jewelry & Metalsmithing."
Materials & Tools
There is a $85 materials fee for this workshop that is payable upon registration. The materials kit includes large amount of sterling silver casting grain (2ozt), wax carving blocks, wax tubes in varying grades, various flat top wax tubes in varying grades, "Mizzy" wheels, investment, and other various miscellaneous studio supplies necessary for this class.
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sketchbook/notebook
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writing utensil
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closed-toe shoes - required in Metalwerx studio