Eric Fuertes

This course introduces the aesthetic, technical, and historical aspects of the casting process as it relates to sculpture. Students learn basic skills in waxworking, investment applications, furnace and kiln operation, metal finishing and chasing, and patination. Lost wax and ceramic shell will be the primary techniques utilized for pattern generation and molding in this course. Students develop these skills through a series of studies that culminate in a final project.

This course explores the aesthetic potential of cast iron as a sculptural material. Students learn to construct and operate a cupola and related equipment for melting and pouring iron. The class culminates in a two-day field trip in which the participants fire the cupola and continuously pour cast iron into prepared molds. Discussions include the historical and contemporary applications of the material.