We love CRAFT: Magazine! We love it for its hip edge and for its incredibly easy yet detailed instructions for lots of different types of projects for all the DIYers and crafters out there. If you have not ever read CRAFT: you can get it at Barnes and Noble Booksellers, most craft and hobby stores, or in your mailbox via subscription! CRAFT: also has a great on-line magazine http://www.craftzine.comchocked full of resources, podcasts, blogs and project ideas and instructions.
Becky Stern, one of their regular contributors recently posted a Podcast on resin casting using Knead-a-Mold, our safe and easy to use molding silicone. The project is a great place to start to learn how to do a very simple mold before you venture out into more complicated territory.
For more information about Knead-a-Mold, read our past gallery/news posts or visit the How To section on our website. Questions? Feel free to email us: info [Email address: info #AT# townsendatelier.com - replace #AT# with @ ]
The Metal Coating and Patina Workshop that we hosted June 19-21 was a great success. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting new artists as well as seeing some old friends. California-based artist and instructor, Ron Young, who founded the patina and metal finishing company, Sculpt Nouveau, led the two day workshop. Over 20 students from all over the Southeast attended. The weekend was jam packed with valuable technical information from Ron’s lectures and demos and lots of hands-on experimentation with metal coatings, patinas, molding making and casting materials. Townsend Atelier hopes to host many more workshops in the future. If there is a particular type of workshop you would like to see us do, please info [Email address: info #AT# townsendatelier.com - replace #AT# with @ ]">email us and let us know!
Students listening to Ron Young talk about patinas
Experimenting with different patinas and metal coatings
Samples of different metal coatings and patinas on different objects and surfaces
BRONZING AND PATINATING A PLASTER BUST A few students brought their own pieces to work on at the workshop. Chattanooga sculptor, Roses Taylor, metal coated her plaster bust in bronze and applied tiffany green patina. First, the plaster bust was sprayed with BRONZE METAL C Coating. The first coat is applied and allowed to dry. Then a second coat is applied.
While the second coat of metal coating is still wet, Liver of Sulfur is sprayed on to give the bronze a rich golden hue.
Finally, Traditional Tiffany Green Patina was sprayed on while surface was still wet. The patina developed a gorgeous blue-green color in a very short amount of time. More patinas or waxes can be applied to achieve different patination. Or Permalac lacquer can be applied to stop the patina development process and to protect the surface when desired coloration is achieved.
Sculpture above by Chattanooga artist, Roses Taylor
Pipe organ at the Goodson Chapel, Duke University Divinity School by Richards Fowkes & Co
From sculpture to crafts, and everything in between, we are always eager to learn about the many ways in which our customers are using our molding and casting products. Hand-built pipe organ company, Richards Fowkes & Company used several of our products to fabricate the finials for their most recent pipe organ commission for the Goodson Chapel at Duke University Divinity School in North Carolina.
Founded in 1988 in Ooltewah, Tennessee, Richards Fowkes & Company has been hand-building incredible pipe organs for churches and universities around the country. Founders Bruce Fowkes and Ralph Richards have brought together a group of talented American and European craftsmen to build these ambitious organs in the traditional manner and methods of historic northern European instruments.
Although all of the casework is hand built and hand carved from wood, the over 60 ornate carved finials that embellish the casework are made from Townsend Casting Resin. First, several master prototype finials were hand carved from oak. Then, Knead-a-Mold (the light blue material shown) was applied onto the carved finials so that an exact replica could be made. Because Knead-a-Mold picks up very minute detail, the texture and grain of the wood was captured beautifully in the mold. Once the mold was made, Townsend Casting Resin was poured into the mold and allowed to cure. The resin cured to a bright white color and was then post finished with a variety of dyes and paints that matched the natural golden brown color of the oak.
Some of the completed cast resin finials incorporated onto oak framework.
The finished pipe organ is 27′ tall, has 30 stops, and approximately 1700 pipes. The largest pipe is 16′ tall and the smallest is 1 1/2″ long and the diameter of a soda straw.
To learn more about Richards Fowkes & Co and to see more of their work, visit www.richardsfowkes.com To see Townsend Atelier products, click here
