National Casting Center Foundry

Alumni Feature: Liz Helfer

2012-02-15T20:16:00.000-05:00

Elizabeth Helfer graduated from Alfred University in May 2010, she was born and raised in New Durham, NH. Liz developed alove for sculpture early on, working with modeling clay and paper. Named"Most Artistic" throughout her elementary, middle, and high schoolyears; Elizabeth attended the New HampshireAll-State Art Festival and the St. Paul's School Advanced Studies Program for Studio Art.It was her St. Paul'sSchool experience which guided her toward a continued art education. She has continued her artistic development through her travels,including a trip to Wales representing Alfred toparticipate in the 6th International Conference on Contemporary Cast Iron Artand work at Franconia Sculpture Parkin Minnesota.

'Beauty and the Bees Bronze'12½”x13”x3” 2010

'Selkie' Bronze andglass10”x4”x3½” 2009

Artist Statement

I want mysculptures to tell a story. I began in this vein by literally translating westernfolklore into cast metal and glass sculpture. My artwork has grown to includepersonal narratives and explore the idea of location in history. Recently, Irealized that the viewer’s interpretation of the story does not need to relatedirectly to the original. I simply want the audience to experience a sense of narrativethat feels familiar and significant.

Within the realm of metal casting,I prefer to create complex patterns for the lost wax process. Although I maycreate several pieces related to a central theme, I prefer to use molds onlyonce. This parallels the telling of a story, where each interpretation containsits own nuance and subtlety. When seen together the sculptures may seem to relateonly through material choices. I use titles to give the viewer clues to theoriginal story and links between sculptures.

I am beginning to look outside ofmetal but the casting process, from conception to product, seems fitting to theconcept of history. The length of the metal casting process allows outsideforces to manipulate the final product, which has interested me as the elementof history beyond human control.

This past fall Elizabethexhibited in All Fired Up: Contemporary Iron Art at the Peninsula School ofArt, Fish Creek, WI. She is currently working on a publicsculpture with cast iron elements for a sculpture walk in Rochester, NH,coming this summer. She will be back at Franconia Sculpture Park as Program Assistantin the spring. She is in the process of applying to grad school and hopes to begin her MFA studies for sculpture in fall 2012.

USUK International Iron Symposium

2012-02-14T11:27:00.000-05:00

2012 SPRING SEMESETER INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Congratulations ! Bonny Crowl, soad senior and Andrew Dean school of business senior start work assisiting with the planning for USUK 2012.
USUK IRON Sculpture Symposium was founded in 1996, with a mission to provide a vital platform that pushes the bounderies of contemporary cast iron sculpture. Dialogue between artists, curators, historians and the host site is created throughout the Symposium to examine the nature of iron via discussions, presentations, sculpture exhibitions, demos, mold making, and iron pouring.

USUK facilitates this exchange of ideas and process by bringing together artists across disciplines and cultural borders for an intense residential period.

Founding Director Coral Lambert

WANT TO LEND A HAND !!

USUK CAST IRON SCULPTURE SYMPOSIUM TO BE HELD IN SCOTLAND, UK + NEW YORK, USA

Come on by the Career Centre to Find out more on

Thurs Jan 19th @ 4.30 + 5.30pm

Two Positions Available : As an assistant marketing manager for the USUK Cast Iron Sculpture Symposium you will help oversee the production of a catalogue and website as well as assist with administration involved in the general organization and promotion of the symposium. USUK is an International Sculpture Symposium which will be held in the summer of 2012 between Salem Art Works, New York and Scottish Sculpture Workshop, Scotland.
Qualifications include marketing, design, website, administration. The successful candidate must demonstrate good organizational and communication skills as well as reliability.

PowerPoint presentation about USUK and Application Forms available at the Informational Meeting.

Senior Spotlight: Zach Stork

2012-02-14T08:47:00.001-05:00

Artist Statement

An interest of the natural world, entropy of existence and landscape provoke my attention wherever I roam. Wonderment of what is happening within an environment and the materials it is comprised of influence my artistic practice. The use of symbols, whether in material or object are found within my works to convey the configuration of the world in my eye.

Much of my work has been an investigation of cultural relativismwithin the quandaries of self-bearing and the façade of American society. Theseexaminations of ideas are thensynthesized, transforming into a matrix of ambiguitythat alludes our societal time and era.

An investigation into the nucleiof societies and ethics of authority and there relationship to nature and its inhabitantsare a focul point of my creative material interactions. Specifically thedisintegration of agriculture, business, and construction professions. My interests are manifest in objects and installations.

I find the confines ofour society instill a distress within the nature of my work; I attempt to make this apprehension ardent, virtuous and authentic in essence.

Zachary Thomas Stork 2012

INDUCTION FURNACE WORKSHOP

2012-02-09T11:16:00.001-05:00

Senior Spotlight : David Holub

2012-02-06T11:27:00.002-05:00

Artist Statement

Publicbench people watching, country creek living organism stirring, my work is likean innate glare, an observation provoked into a personal reflection locked inthe Ivory Tower.

I grew up with an overlapping understanding ofthe world, by relating biological elements from childhood explorations: I’mstill just an over grown child. I like to examine personalities, by turning thecontrast volume up on a character’s inner workings, including self. For me, manipulations of mediums is an investigation, instigating anthropomorphic imageryand form. Through these processes ofart, the end results are ideas expressed by seizing moments as sculpture, starkand quirky.

I work with casting materials; metals, glass,and found objects. The use of different materials helps me create a vocabulary that when it all boils down in 2D& 3D, I edit, chop them up and put it all back together like a madscientist.

My recent work delves into the idea of self-deconstruction. I have been finding myself going back andworking with a hand modeled self portrait bust, redevelopinga past self perception physically by subtle destructions and cycles ofopposites. Like a natural forest fire’sself-deconstruction of the old school to create that, “New New”, untainted andnaive. By exploiting these juxtapositions I’m searching for a balance thatstruggles.

David Holub 2012

Nor'easter Iron Preconference Workshop at Alfred

2012-02-06T09:01:00.002-05:00

'Environmental Foundry Workshop : Clay Molds For Cast Iron, A Sustainable and Viable Practice.

This Nor'Easter Pre-conference Workshop will be held at The National Casting Center Foundry, Alfred University, New York.

Led by Professor Coral Lambert, Director of the National Casting Center Foundry the workshop will cover African Ashanti and Japanese Sogata Clay molding. Participants will learn recipes, techniques and produce molds to be cast in iron at the Nor'easter conference in Buffalo. http://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/noreaster/
The 'Environmental Foundry Workshop' will run from Mon Nov 5th - Friday 9th 2012
Each day will consist of a morning Demo and an afternoon Lecture. Particpants will have full access to the facilties at The National Casting Center Foundry for hands on mold making. Charcoal firing of the clay molds will take place on Friday and be transported to the conference in Buffalo byTuesday 13th Nov.

Spaces are limited to the first ten to sign up. Deposit $50.
A total cost of $120 will be for materials, and transport of molds to the conference which is about a two hour drive.

Lodging as well as travel to and from Alfred and Food will the the responsibility of the individual. We will be more than happy to arrange pick up and drop off at the local airport/bustop/Amtrak can be arranged.

Checks payable to Alfred University : We have no payment online set up so please mail your chack payable to Alfred University to Professor Lambert, Chair of Sculpture Dimensional Studies, Alfred University, 2 Pine Street, Alfred, NY 14802.

For further information please contact Professor Coral Lambert at lambertc@alfred.edu

www.alfredmeltdown.blogspot.com

Pour Your Heart Out

2012-02-02T09:40:00.005-05:00

Senior Spotlight: Jeff Crawford

2012-02-02T07:57:00.005-05:00

Artist Statement

Much of what we know about cultures is what its people have left behind; artifacts. My desire is that my work will one day become an art'in'fact, and my lineage will be carried on. My attraction to creating with metal and stone has to do with their inherent properties and capability to withstand the perils of time. Through the use of these materials I am becoming more intimate with my roots, using materials my ancestors manipulated to leave a footprint of their existence. The more I discover about my heritage, the more I discover about who I am. The work is an investigation of my Scottish genealogy; it is a reflection of where the surname Crawford came from, and who these people were.

Jeff Crawford 2012

Senior Spotlight : Hannah 'Bonny' Crowl

2012-02-01T16:26:00.001-05:00

Artist Statement

The codes of social expectations have influenced all individuals; relying on that influence to create the norms through repetition and ritual. These standards are often expected; individuals and the consequences for failing to meet these demands commonly result in discrimination and social alienation. My work reflects a fear of these rejections. Using metal my work portrays the resistance to change, permanency of social influence, and desperation caused by fear. Fear of social rejection can result in the modification of physical elements, some perceive these modifications as violent, others see them as necessary adjustments. All of my pieces reference the human body on a life-size scale, but have oppositions made in various other dimensions manipulating the body. The scale of my body castings are life size so they can instill the viewer with a sense of sympathy and self-reflection. My portrayal of the contradiction of humanity using mechanics to feel more “human” is indiscriminate, allowing the viewer have a personal interaction with each sculpture.

Hannah Crowl 2012

Senior Spotlight: Robert Wheeler

2012-01-31T16:21:00.001-05:00

Artist Statement

The world has experienced a paradigm shift from analog to digital over the last 70 years. A result of this shift was the birth of the Internet, which truly connected the world for the first time via high speed, high bandwidth fiber optic cables. Global conductivity of ideas, money, and goods has become far more efficient than it had been in the analog world.

Its 2012 and I am living in the long anticipated digital golden age of knowledge. The conductive forces of light, sound, metal, and electricity comprise my palette. The notion of a digitally connected society and its potential to either advance or destroy civilization is what helps to bring my artistic visions to life.

My works are an attempt at transcending vernacular language, through the use of these forces, in order to conduct a visceral response into the audience. Interactivity of the audience and my work is key in forming memories of the experience. The creation and storage of an organic memory derived from an object of digital origins raises the question, how truly connected to the digital realm is humanity?

Robert Wheeler 2012

POUR YOUR HEART OUT

2012-01-31T08:37:00.002-05:00

You are invited to attend Pour Your Heart Out, the The Foundry Guild Public Fundraising Event, Saturday Feb. 11th from 2 – 6pm.

Events include:

‘Molten Metal Pour’ : Foundry Guild Students cast relief sculptures in hot metal : designed by YOU!

Also ‘Spin Art’ + ‘Raffle’ + ‘Silent Art Auction’ + ‘DJ Millhouse’

Auction + Raffle will end at 5 pm

T-Shirts, Food and Beverages available from the Foundry Guild !

Proceeds will be split 50/50 between Doctors Without Borders and The Foundry Guild Student Club for participation in National and International Conferences. TO RESERVE A $10 'RELIEF SCULPTURE' TO MAKE A RELIEF PLEASE email Jeff Crawford at JCT4@alfred.edu.

POUR YOUR HEART OUT : SUCCESS!

2011-02-11T07:56:00.011-05:00

$2,500 of success and we are still counting!
.

Even though the weather was not the best we had a great turn out with people coming from all over to watch free flowing Molten Metal and participate in making 'Relief Sculptures'.

Everyone filled up on some classic Guild Cheese Sandwiches, poured and danced away the afternoon to music provided by DJ Millhouse.

The Silent Art Auction comprised of over 110 pieces donated by students, faculty and local Alfred artists.

Thank You to everyone who participated : the money raised will be split between The Alfred A + E Crandall Hook and Ladder Company and Doctors Without Borders in Haiti.
.
We still have some T-Shirts left at $5 each so please contact the Foundry Guild if you would like to order one.

LIZ HELFER VISIT

2011-02-07T21:42:00.006-05:00

TALK + PIZZA : TUESDAY 8th Feb 2011 @ 7pm

2010 Alfred Graduate Liz Helfer returns to give a talk about her experience of making large scale work as an intern at Franconia Sculpture Park in Minnesota last summer. As well as working at the park with resident visiting artists she also created her own work, 'Most Heat Moon' a floating Sculpture which she sailed down the St Criox River.

Join Liz for some Pizza + a Talk as she shares her experience and informs about current opportunites for you at Franconia Sculpture Park this coming summer !

"The Miniature and Beyond"

2011-02-02T08:09:00.009-05:00

Students in the junior level Sculpture Foundry class were asked to find an object small enough to fit into the palm of their hand and respond to it in a way that captures the most vital and interesting qualities of that object to them. Their final project could be a series of cast parts which could take the form of an installation incorporating other materials along with the cast object. Here are some examples of their work as seen in the Sculpture Galleries for their midterm critique with Professor Lambert.

Alex Reed : Cast Iron, Aluminum + Railroad Spikes and Turf.

Aaron Spadaro : Enamelled Cast Iron, Toys and Debris.

Margaret Cohen : Centrifugal Cast bronze + Fillament.

David Holub : 'Self' Cast Aluminum + Bronze

Sharie Willey : 'Comparisons' Cast bronze, Iron, Aluminum + Stone

Christiana Allen : Cast Bronze + Bone

Andrew Brisson : Cast Bronze, Gold Fish + Aquarium

JEFF KALSTROM

2010-04-05T19:01:00.004-04:00

VISITING ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Nationally recognized cast metal sculptor from Minnesota will work in the foundry alongside students from April 1st - 10th. Kalstrom's sculpture uses animal archetypes to consider human identity, examining animal images that carry meanings and reflects the dynamic that their form and behavior have with our cultural myths.

ARTIST PRESENTATION

Thursday April 8th

6pm Room C – 106 BMH

All events are free + open to everyone!
Supported in part by a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board

POUR For HAITI !

2010-01-24T16:00:00.005-05:00

The Alfred Foundry Guild invite you to help raise money and awareness for the Earthquake Victims of Haiti.

Members of the community of Alfred, and surrounding towns are invited to visit the Foundry to create their own ‘relief sculpture’ by carving a design into a block of sand which you can then watch being cast in hot metal by Foundry Students.

A suggested donation of $10 is given in exchange for the experience of making a sculpture which participants can take home with them the same day. This activity is open to adults and children with adult supervision. Anyone can do it! As Alfred Foundry Students will be there to guide you through the process of carving the designs.The tools for carving the designs will be provided.

All money raised will be directly donated to a legitimate charity working with the earthquake victims of Haiti.

Other events include : Silent Art Action, Raffle of goods + services donated by area businesses, Music, T-shirts and food such as The Foundry 'Guild Cheese' sandwiches!

So come along, hang out, eat, listen to music, meet the artists, see great art, buy great art and watch the action of the metal being melted and poured to create sculpture and best of all you can do all this whilst raising money and awareness for the Haiti Earthquake Victims!

Flaming Flamingo!

2010-01-21T13:50:00.009-05:00

Foundry Senior Tom Wulf's "Flamingo Pickaxe', pictured here with 'Baby Sledge' has been selected to represent Alfred Sculpture Division at the “SUNY Art Student Exhibition Series” at Suny Albany, New York. The exhibition will run from February 15 to May 28, 2010.

Each Spring and Fall the exhibition will enable the SUNY community, as well as the larger Albany community, to experience first hand the excellent art being produced by the student artists who learn within the SUNY System.

Out of that exhibit two pieces are chosen as the Best in Show and are awarded a $1000 scholarship and four pieces are given an honorable mention with a $500 scholarship.

SUMMER SCHOOL ENROLLMENT OPENS MARCH 15th!

2010-01-10T19:37:00.003-05:00

SCULPTURE : Iron Casting Demystified
Faculty: Coral Lambert, Professor of Sculpture

May 17 - June 4, 2010 (3 weeks)
Monday - Friday 9 am - 5 pm

This 3 week course provides a unique opportunity to explore an expanding contemporary art form within a rich tradition. Students will experience the art and act of iron casting from the ground up by learning how to build and operate an 800# Iron Cupola Furnace, make molds, cast and finish sculpture. Skills taught include furnace building, welding, wax working, ceramic shell, sand molding, Iron Pour preparation, casting iron, metal finishing, chasing and patination.

Topics covered are Contemporary Cast Iron Sculpture and the Tradition of Iron Casting.

Students will have the freedom to experiment, no experience necessary.

TO REGISTER GOT TO: WWW.ALFRED.EDU/SUMMER/SCHOOL

FOR ACCOMMODATIONS CALL THE STUDENT SERVICE CENTER ON 607 871 2123

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS PLEASE CALL CATHLEEN JOHNSON @ THE SCHOOL OF ART ON 607 871 2412

2009-12-31T10:25:00.007-05:00

SPARKS FLY as Junior Sculpture Student Sharie Willey receives The 2009 Winter Foundry Apprenticeship. She is seen here preparing Professor Lambert's cast iron + steel Sculpture 'Cloud Split Open' for patination before it goes on exhibition.

2009-12-03T15:06:00.003-05:00

POURING AT SALEM

2009-11-22T21:38:00.002-05:00

Enjoy this short video of Alfred and other Students pouring iron using 'MothRa' at the Intercollegiate Pour at Salem Art Works
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txY5sF6tWJ8&NR=1

FIERY POSTER BY ERNIE LEGG !

2009-10-22T15:05:00.004-04:00

MELTDOWN 09 Resident VISITING ARTISTS

2009-10-22T14:44:00.009-04:00

Sculptor, Christian Benefiel from Baltimore, MD

Carolyn Ottmers, Head of Foundry at The school of the Art Institute, Chicago

Andy Griffiths, Head of Sculpture at West Wales School of Art, UK.

Each of these artists will be working in foundry the week prior to 'Meltdown' Come see their work in progress. Work also on view in 'Ferrous Bloom - The Nature of Iron' international exhibition at the Fosdick Nelson Gallery.

Photos from AU's trip to SAW!

2009-10-22T14:04:00.003-04:00

ANY OLE' IRON

2009-10-21T11:22:00.005-04:00

Turn Your Cast Iron Scrap into Art !

Call for Cast Iron

Contact lambertc@alfred.edu if you would like to donate your old bath tub, sink, drain pipes, radiators or brake discs to be melted down for 'MELTDOWN' OCt 31st

Donations accepted at the Foundry.

Thank You.

MELTDOWN T-SHIRTS

2009-10-16T13:08:00.008-04:00

Winner!

Designed by Justin Harney

Selected by Print Professor Will Contino

Screen Printed by Paige Henry.

Glow in the Dark + Orange on Black

Also Printed on Your own Stuff!

Available on the Day of the Pour

The back of the shirt has the list of 'Meltdown' participants.

MELTDOWN 2009

2009-10-14T10:11:00.002-04:00

MELTDOWN
3rd Annual Iron Pour + Metal Casting Convention

Saturday 31st October 2009 10am–10pm

The Foundry, at The National Casting Center, NYSCC @ Alfred University School of Art welcomes you to an all day plethora of live demonstrations of the different casting processes and techniques used to make sculpture by the Sculpture/Dimensional Studies Foundry students. Joining Alfred Students will be students and faculty from other schools.

THE ALCHEMIST MENU INCLUDES :

Brunch @ 10am Steel Induction Pour + Coffee + Donuts

Lunch @ Noon Centrifugal Casting + Guild Cheese

Dinner from 2–7pm Bronze + Iron

Furnaces: Cleopatra, Anthony + Cesar
Cupola Iron Pour starring ‘MOTH-RA’ and ‘VegGie?’
Sand, Ceramic Shell, Traditional + Experimental Molds

Desert @ 8pm Fiery Halloween Treats + Potluck

Also Featuring:

‘Ferrous Bloom – The Nature of Iron’ an international exhibition of work celebrating the diversity of Iron as an art medium at the Fosdick Nelson Gallery

Opening Reception FRIDAY OCT 30th 7 – 9pm

‘ALL STAR CAST’ : a student exhibition of Cast Metal Sculpture inside and outside the Foundry. Students from other schools and Alfred alumni are welcome to bring a piece, if you can also bring a pedestal!

Places to Stay in Alfred:
Economy Inn 836 Route 244, Alfred , NY 14802 607 587 9555
(Speak to Varsat and ask for the special ‘Meltdown’ rate of $50 per night for a double room)

Saxon Inn 1 Park Street, Alfred, NY 14802 607 871 2600
(from $70)

Camping $10 A night at Foster Lake, email Coral Lambert @ lambertc@alfred.edu

Beds and Sofa’s – we have a list of students that have kindly offered basic crash pads for other visiting students: Please let me know if you are looking for a place to crash on Friday and Saturday night.

Molds
Please bring your molds ready to pour, you are welcome to come drop them off on Friday.

Cost
We just ask to cover the cost of the Metal:
Iron @ 50c : Bronze @ $3.50 : Ali @ $1 per #
And of course any food contributions to the Potluck would be welcome!

Calendar
Friday: People start arriving, setting up molds
7-9pm Opening Reception of ‘Ferrous Bloom’ at the Fosdick Nelson Gallery
Sat: 7am- Breakfast at the Jet
8am – light induction furnace, set up molds
10am – 10pm Meltdown!
Sun 9am – Clean Up begins!

2009-06-07T22:21:00.005-04:00

Summer School Students help build new Iron Furnace called 'TARA' named after the goddess of liberation and compassion, her first mission is to travel to Salem Art Works for the USUK International Cast Iron Sculpture Symposium. She then next will be in operation at Alfred Foundry's Annual 'Meltdown' on Oct 31st 2009.

Scott Lamont Awarded Apprenticeship

2009-01-23T16:06:00.015-05:00

Congratulations go to Junior Sculpture Student Scott Lamont who was awarded the first Foundry Apprenticeship supported by Dean Lewis, School of Art and Design, NYSCC @ Alfred University. It is planned that this new program will become an integral part of the Foundry Program.

So, over the winter months whilst everyone was eating cake and opening presents some were feeding the furnace and opening molds!

'Apprenticing with Professor Coral Lambert this winter break has been a very interesting and motivating experience. As an apprentice I was asked to be directly involved in the creation of Professor Lambert's work, which gave me a great deal of experience in the casting process in a short amount of time. I became more familiar with the materials and techniques used in the foundry, such as sand molds and metal finishing. One of the most interesting things I learned about was how to operate and maintain a gas fired furnace. Pouring metal and finishing pieces for the whole break has given me much more experience in the casting process than taking a class could provide alone. Coral answered any questions I had about casting, gave me advice for my own work, and explained the creative process behind her own work. I highly recommend the apprentice program to any students who wish to become more skilled in their chosen media. It is a great way to learn as much as possible directly from an experienced artist and apply that knowledge to your own work.' Scott Lamont

Also a big Thank You to Ceramics Grad, Eliza Au + Foundry Tech, Mark Kessel for helping with the pours!

Countdown to

2008-11-29T10:39:00.004-05:00

MELTDOWN 2008 !

The 2nd annual Iron Pour and Metal Casting Convention.

Thank You to everyone who made participated to create another great MELTDOWN @ The National Casting Center.

We poured two ton of metal in ten hours !

Check out these photo albums

From Skidmore College : www.skidmore.edu/~jgalt

From Alfred's very own Devin Henry : http://s182.photobucket.com/albums/x52/MrDSir/FoundryMeltDown11-15-08/

Poster Designed by Alfred Grad + Foundry TA : Stephen Coles

VEGGIE FURNACE

2008-11-23T19:21:00.005-05:00

For the Environmental Foundry Course, Senior Sculpture Student , Nina Chesakov recieved an Alfred Research Grant for Undergraduate Students (argus) to research and build a vegetable oil furnace fired by recyled veggie oil from the campus cafe. Using half of an old 55 gal drum lined with hand made refractory she melted and cast copper and bronze into clay molds.

http://picasaweb.google.com/alfredfoundry/VEGGIEFURNACE#

Visiting Artist : Wayne Potratz

2008-11-04T15:03:00.001-05:00

Wayne Potratz, Professor of Sculpture and Foundry at the University of Minnesota came as a visitng artist to Alfred Foundry. During his visit he demonstrated African, Indian , Meso American and Japanese Clay Mold techniques for casting iron and bronze.

Visit ALBUMS link to view images.

http://picasaweb.google.com/alfredfoundry/WaynePotratz

Salem Art Works, New York

2008-10-03T19:55:00.002-04:00

Intercollegiate Iron Pour : Sept 27th 2008

Schools attended : Alfred, Suny Albany, Skidmore + Bennington

Furnace 'Mothra' Poured 1500# Iron Approx 50 molds

Check out 'ALBUMS' link to see photos !

http://picasaweb.google.com/alfredfoundry/IntercollegiatePourSept2008

MELTDOWN

2007-11-04T15:31:00.001-05:00

! ! hot ! ! hOt ! stuff ! ! h o t ! ! s t u f f ! ! ! ! HOT ! !!!!!!!!!!!!!

MELTDOWN 2007 !

The 1st annual Iron Pour and Metal Casting Convention.

http://picasaweb.google.com/alfredfoundry