Spark Workshops FRIDAY 11/15/2024

Hot Shop: Sand Casting

• 45 minute sessions
• Ages 0+
• $85 per item

In this workshop, you will have up to 45 minutes to design your very own sand cast artwork.

You are encouraged to BRING YOUR OWN objects to use in this process. A cherished or found object or even a body part such as a hand or foot can be great for this kind of project (avoid objects that will create ‘undercuts’ in the mold).

Sand casting involves the use of molten glass poured directly into a preformed open face sand mold. It is a process similar to casting metal into a mold. We will discuss the production of models used in the sand casting process. The possibilities are endless, the detail forever captured in a cast glass tile!

Each participant will make 1 cast piece per session no larger than 8x8x2 inches.

After your artwork is complete it is placed in an oven to begin the slow cooling process and is ready for pick up in three days or may be shipped for an additional fee.

Please refer to the FAQ section of our website to see all measures that we are taking to keep our staff and participants safe. If you are a first-time participant, you can find a link to our Risk and Release form on the FAQ page. You are welcome to bring a completed form with you. We will also have blank forms available during class check-in. ALL participants are required to have a completed form on file.

Glass Blowing: When you are working in the hot shop, you are working with the glass in its molten state (2100F). The process begins by taking a pipe and gathering molten glass from the furnace and then forming and shaping it with tools and by blowing air into it. You will be given the opportunity to apply color, reheat and shape your creation.

Flame Working: When you are working in the flame working studio, you are working with colored and clear glass rods or tubes in front of an open, gas-fueled torch. You will be given the opportunity to melt the glass as well as use tools and gravity to shape your item. SiNaCa Studios teaches with two different types of glass in our flame working studio. One is a soft soda-lime based glass that is used primarily for our bead making classes. The other is a hard glass called borosilicate, sometimes referred to as pyrex. It requires a much hotter flame to work, but can be used to create more complex sculptural and blown work.

Kiln Forming | Fusing & Slumping Glass: When you are working in the kiln forming studio, you are working with the glass in its solid state. You will be given the opportunity to cut and layer sheet glass with glass frit and stringers to create your design. We will then put the assembled work into an electric kiln where it will be fired over a 12-hour cycle to fuse the layers together. SiNaCa Studios uses and teaches with Bullseye Glass (90coe) exclusively in our kiln forming studio.

Host or Publisher SiNaCa Studios - School of Glass and Gallery