28/07/2017
Butley Mills Studios Renaissance bronze casting courses 2017/18. 5 days, £580.
Autumn half term: 21-22 cook moulds friday pour 27 finish 28-29 Oct
Easter: March 31- April 1st cook moulds friday pour 6, finish 7-8 April.
Summer: July 28/29 then Aug 3/4/5
Butley mills studios casting courses are designed to give an in depth and very practical understanding of the classic renaissance process, it has only been fine tuned in the last centuries and remains essentially the method used by Donatello, Cellini, Ghiberti and Giambologna. the process is used today around the world but is increasingly rare, now overlooked in commercial foundries in preference of ceramic shell, sand casting and various digital processes towards printing directly in metal. however despite the process’ age, it still holds many surprises and can do some stuff that the others can not, and many things equally.
the 5 day course schedule is built around the kiln, since it needs 4 days slow firing to cleanse the moulds of water, wax and other combustibles, the kiln is loaded and fired on monday morning and bronze poured on friday. so getting the waxes ready and invested in ludo requires the weekend before, the friday pour and metal finishing the final weekend. the course is suitable for adults and chaperoned teens. tutors and casting team info is all here on this site. the dates will be for the autumn half term, easter break and during the summer, please see the Butleymillsstudios.org website and the course page for details
the studios are unheated and full of materials which can make you wish for older often warmer clothes, the process involves hot wax and dusty plaster, metal finishing has equal hazards so during the course it is required that everyone has full length strong clothing, preferably in natural fibres with no flappy bits to get caught in trouble.. and covering wrists and ankles even in the summer! strong leather work boots or shoes a must.
If you have any dustmasks/gloves/face shields-goggles that you prefer to work with please bring although these basic health and safety items will be supplied.
Butley is located on the Suffolk heritage coast and so there are many options for b+b, inns and self catering apartments [even across the road at the cottage and butley mill- and soon at the oyster] and nearby at Orford. summer would require very early booking. there may be limited cheap but very basic options for camping on site and in the bothy, please ask for availability. any personal needs please contact us, the studios do in the main have disabled access.
Jim, Ed, Stuart, Gus
