Slip Casting Fun: Part I

We're very sad that 8 weeks of slip casting fun is over before we could even blog once about it, so here's a found look back (cue up "Will you Remember Me?" for a graduation-style slide show effect)

After months of much-effective harassment Jean, Chika, Jared, and I finally convinced our dear friend and talented ceramist Heath Bultman to share his skills and wisdom in the ancient art of slip casting. He was gracious enough to open up his tiny home studio and set it up as a classroom for the four of us. To the tunes of JT and Kenny Loggins we eagerly soaked up knowledge, plaster dust, beers, and jokes...not a bad way to spend a Tuesday evening.We started our class making plaster molds of existing objects. Mold making and mixing plaster is an art and science in itself, but with Heath's guidance we more or less successfully created castable molds of a few of our favorite objects.

Me pouring a bud vase made from an existing vessel.

From front to back: molds for Heath's lamp base, Chika's found "snake oil" bottle, my bud vase, Jared's potato mugs (he casted potatoes...what a rebel!), Jean's cork-topped canister.

Jean's handmade gem and mold.

Jean used here thrifting skills to find this existing mold (above) for bear feet....or cat...or maybe racoon. It's waving hello...
Me looking satisfied with my cast piece.
We got more to come....hint. There's gonna be some original L&G piece!