Sandcasting with Pewter

Overview

An ancient technique made newly compelling, sand casting lets you pour molten metal into a hand-packed mold and pull out a finished object. Over two days with visiting artist Cordelia Stewart, you'll learn to work with pewter — a non-toxic, low-melt alloy that melts at a fraction of the temperature of silver or bronze, making it more forgiving, more accessible, and significantly cheaper to experiment with, without sacrificing a quality finish. You'll make molds using petrobond clay, melt and pour pewter, and cast, shape, size, and finish a ring and pendant. Wax carving and cuttlefish casting are also touched on. Beginners are welcome, and more experienced students will be given expanded projects to match their skill level.

Cordelia Stewart is a London-based interdisciplinary artist, jeweler, and educator working out of Thames Side Studios in Southeast London. Her practice spans a range of mediums to create bold, innovative work in metal with a distinctly contemporary feel.