Intricate Shapes in Kiln Casting
This workshop focuses on hand-building intricate organic forms in beeswax and translating them into Gaffer glass castings through the lost-wax kiln-casting technique. We will cover every step of the process, including model making, sprue placement, pouring refractory molds, wax steam-out, casting and annealing schedules, de-molding and finishing techniques. Students can expect to learn how to create hollow-core objects, explore color placement through the use of pre-cast elements and firing a piece multiple times, discovering how cold-worked surfaces can significantly transform the appearance of your work. Emphasis will be placed on experimentation, problem-solving and learning to work creatively with imperfections thoughout the making process.
Anja Isphording lives and works in Vancouver, Canada. Trained as a glass engraver in Germany, she has worked in lost wax kiln casting for over 30 years now. Her sculptural glass forms evoke molecular structures, honeycombs, coral reefs and other organic systems while remaining intentionally ambiguous in their biological references. Anja explores nature without ever literally reproducing it. Her work has been exhibited internationally and is included in numerous private and public collections, among them the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, The Chrysler Museum of Art and the Museum Kunstpalast. Her work has also been selected for the Corning New Glass Review twelve times.
