Friday, March 27, 2009

Summer Classes for Art Teachers

WAC is delighted to announce two summer classes for art teachers: Bronze Casting and Fused Glass. The primary focus of the classes is to provide art teachers an opportunity to learn a new art form, or refresh skills in an art form, while exploring how it can be taught in their own classroom. Each class includes large amounts of hands-on creating time.

Non-arts teachers will be accepted as space allows.
For a full syllabus and registration form, please call Camellia at 777-5305 or email celant@state.wy.us.

Bronze Casting
Green River, June 21-23
This class will focus on the basics of bronze casting; primarily centrifugal casting and will cover the basics of gravity casting. Many of the techniques and processes used during this class are derived directly from the lost wax casting process of the ancient Greeks. This process lends itself to almost any sculpting style and level of ability.

At the end of the class you’ll have:
A completed bronze sculpture (small, about 1.5 lbs)
An understanding of basic casting
Information about building a bronze program, or modifying your knowledge for use in your own school

The class will be taught by Shane Steiss, one of the art teachers at Green River High School. He’s been teaching bronze since 2006.


Fused Glass
Riverton, August 2-7
This class is a thorough introduction to fusing and slumping glass. Participants will create at least three pieces of their own art glass; learn a variety of techniques, and how to fire glass. The class will cover a range of topics pertaining to fusing glass, including tools, health concerns, safety concerns, materials, and information about working with glass, including tips for how to make it successful for anyone taking the class. Discussion will be held about the particulars of teaching fused glass in the public school classroom.

At the end of the class you’ll have:
At least three pieces of glass you created
An understanding of fusing and slumping glass
Information about building a glass program, or modifying your knowledge for use in your own school

The class will be taught by Marianne Vinich, one of the art teachers at Riverton High School. She’s been teaching fused and stained glass for close to 20 years.