The top four photographs were taken when working with sculptors Julia and Shane Stratton in their bronze foundry in Philadelphia. I was very fortunate to work with them making a series of castings between November 2007 and March 2008. I was there to learn the Ceramic shell bronze casting process and also to learn by working alongside them as sculptors. Julia and Shane each have considerable experience and have their own foundry so that they are in control of the whole process from modelling in wax or clay through 'chasing' to the patination of the finished piece. As a result of this experience I went on, when back in the UK, to model and have cast the 'angel' figures used on the BJGF wine coolers. The 'Beasts' shown here were cast in bronze and mounted on slate blocks emerging from Nautilus shells. They are related to the 'Beasts' shown on the silver page.
Two of the images show dipping the waxes for the 'Beasts' alternately in slurry and powder. This will be repeated between 8 and 12 times with 2 hours to dry between each coat. When dry these will be burnt out, see picture 4, and, when cool cleaned and prepared for casting. They will then be bedded in sand to their necks and reheated preparatory to the bronze pouring.
The bottom left image from 2008 shows a model for a sculpture in the studio at Kohler. Other photographs are from my residency on the 'Art's in Industry' program at the Kohler iron foundry, Wisconsin in 2008.