Glass Casting with Donald Robertson
By Di TockerExcited and fearful.
This was how Colleen and I felt as we boarded the plane bound for Melbourne January 6, 2008. Excited about 10 days of uninterrupted glass, yet fearful of the January heat of Melbourne. In the end we needn’t have feared the heat – it was hot at times admittedly but it has seemed just as hot home in NZ this summer!
What to Expect?
You never quite know what to expect from a Workshop, but previous experience working with Helen Stokes told me if Helen was running it, the workshop would be thoroughly organized and packed full of value. And so it was. The plan was to spend 4 days doing casting at Helen’s studio in Camberwell, before heading northeast to Rubicon, for a day sand-casting at James Thompson’s studio where he makes Blackwood Casting Crystal. Then after the weekend we were back into the city for 2 days to work on cold-working techniques at Phillip Stokes Glass Studio in the Abbotsford Convent.
The Group.
Helen had met Donald Robertson <a href="/gallery-album-view.php?aid=13">(see photo)</a> Montreal, Canada where he works fulltime in Glass, tutoring at a Polytechnic Institute and working on his own practice. Inspired by the different approach Donald has to making some of his moulds, and knowing others would be just as interested, lead Helen to organizing the Workshop. So there we were, a keen group of ladies (where are all the men at workshops?!) 2 Tasmanians, 2 Kiwis and 4 Victorians, some of us casual dabblers in Glass, alongside those more committed. All bitten by the glass bug though – that was for sure.
How Small?
On the first day our task was to create 3 very small objects from clay or plastercine. These were to be used as inclusions in our sand-cast projects later in the week. I think it’s fair to say that most of us struggled to follow the brief “no bigger than your thumb, and the clay will need to pull out of the plaster mould easily”. We did do better at the ‘size’ part than the ‘easy-release’ spending far too long on the project. However this did allow for a lot of questions getting answered by Donald on lots of various casting tips and tricks, while we toiled away extracting the plastercine – lesson learnt! In fact our brains were in over-load taking in the information from just the first day and I knew then that I was in for a great Workshop. <a href="/gallery-album-view.php?aid=13">(see photo)</a>
Ahhh…Lovely Plaster…
On Day 2 we got into the main project. Our task was to create a perfume bottle. <a href="/gallery-album-view.php?aid=13">(see photo)</a> The method we undertook was to make the mould entirely free from the use of wax. I was intrigued to say the least. The mould, when completed was assembled from sheets of plaster and included an inner core (which would be the interior bottle part). I found I really enjoyed working with the plaster in this way, finding it easy to carve and detail with accuracy. The other huge plus to working this way was the beautiful finish you able to achieve on the sides of the glass. It was awesome to see everyone’s ‘twist’ on the perfume bottle, some designs featuring the core upside-down and having no chance of actually functioning as a perfume bottle (mine included). And theme’s ranging from Ruth’s Octopus’s Garden to Amanda’s tap and sink. <a href="/gallery-album-view.php?aid=13">(see photo)</a>
We loaded these moulds into the kiln on the Day 4, needing to get them fired over the next few days for cold-working later in the course. That day was hot (especially for the foreigners, Tassie's included) and at 41˚;;;;;C it was melting in the garage where Helen's large kiln is. That afternoon it was certainly nice to retreat upstairs to the air-conditioned studio and get to chill (body and head) while Donald demonstrated specific wax techniques.
A Wee Road Trip…
Day 5 was another stunning day, sure to be hot again. We all found our way up to James Thompson’s studio at Rubicon. How to describe James studio? First you’ve got to meet James – beaming form ear to ear to welcome you is the true Aussie bushman as much at home with his beloved horses as the Blackwood Casting Crystal Glass he creates. Honestly, you do not meet a friendlier and down to earth bloke as this. The studio (refer photo 2) has been created from a converted corrugated barn, has eclectic nik-naks and treasures everywhere, Persian rugs on the floor and a caravan situated into the corner for when James needs to sleep over at crucial furnace times. <a href="/gallery-album-view.php?aid=13">(see photo)</a>
What a welcome…
James along with his wife Sue, along with glass colleagues and friends Paul and Summer Sanders, had really given the place a good spruce up to accommodate us all, including the luxury of a porta-loo especially for the ladies – thank you James! We were set for a big day of sand-casting so they needed to get extra kilns up and running to anneal all the work. Donald’s partner, Susan Edgerley is also a glass artist, in particular sand-casting, so it was Susan who demonstrated and ‘lead the orchestra’ that day. It was to be a first for Susan, and we think Australia, to sand-cast with lead crystal straight from the furnace. Com’on James – have more workshops!
After a great lunch of cheeses, bread and fruit from the market (I forgot to mention previously how well we were being fed!), Susan started the demos, using lots of interesting shapes and tools to pack out the sand. James was laddler, in charge of pouring the crystal, Susan was directing and in charge of the snips, Summer operated the furnace door, Donald was in charge of the inclusions and Paul was overseer and funnyman – I think? Meanwhile us students prepared our sand moulds and directed the team – oh what fun, “I want this here, that there, just like that etc”. <a href="/gallery-album-view.php?aid=13">(see photo)</a>
The Storm
It had been threatening a rain storm, and just half and hour into the work, we got it alright. The rain was so loud on the roof you couldn’t hear anything, the wind and the rain came lashing in, lifting a disused water tank off the ground outside and flying it into a paddock 100m away! The power was fluctuating with the kilns going off – we thought our day at the furnace was over! Fortunately it did settle down after only a short while and the air was a lot cooler for it.
Major excitement over, and we soon got into the groove of the hot studio and sand-casting. We continued all afternoon with everybody getting to attempt at least 3 pieces. We were able to try virtually anything and used copper wire, our inclusions, tin-foil, enamels, and graphite to create some really interesting results. These pieces too would be bought back to Melbourne for cold-working if required. <a href="/gallery-album-view.php?aid=13">(see photo)</a>
Let’s Relax
That night we all relaxed with a few wines/ales, yet again more great food and enjoyed great company as we later appreciated the stars away from the big smoke. The weekend saw some of the group hang around and do more up at James studio and some of us drift off to do other things before regrouping on Sunday evening at Phillip Stokes Studio for a slide show and talk given by Donald and Susan.
Don’t be afraid of Cold-working
On Monday morning we met at Helens to get our cast pieces out of the kiln, (Christmas!) before heading off to the Abbotsford Convent and Phil’s studio for cold-working. <a href="/gallery-album-view.php?aid=13">(see photo)</a> With a 100% success and all of us really pleased with the result (Donald was no doubt relieved!) we got into the task really bringing out the best in the pieces. At first Donald was keen for us to only polish one or maybe two sides, but in the end most of us were able to complete at least four through to high polish, as the Blackwood Crystal is so nice to work on. We used the grits on the flat bed and glass, the lathe and linisher, finishing with cork and cerium. The facilities at the studio were great as Phil operates the studio for other glass artists to hire hot-working space and as a learning facility. Cold-working was an area most of us were keen to know lots more about and we able to full the brain yet again. I tell you I slept very well the whole time there due to semi exhaustion and information overload!
All good things do have to come to an end
We rounded things up nicely back around Helen’s pool for yet more good food, wine and company, before wearily peeling ourselves away. It is wonderful when a group comes together and a great dynamic happens. This was absolutely the case and I felt absolutely privileged to have taken part in a great learning environment, with wonderful people from around the globe.
What a start to the year!
Di Tocker lives in Hamilton where she creates and tutors Cast Glass using Blackwood Crystal.
Colleen Ryan-Priest also Casts Glass in her Hamilton studio which she kindly shares with Di.
Helen Stokes was Di’s Cast Glass tutor at RMIT, Melbourne 2000-2002. Helen Stokes currently travels the world tutoring her ‘honeycomb’ moulding technique, in between her own glass work.
Donald Robertson is a Glass Artist and a teacher at Espace Verre in Montreal, teaching kiln working, technology and syntheses classes.
Susan Edgerley is a Glass Artist exhibiting widely throughout North America. Susan also teaches at Espace Verre in Montreal.
James Thompson manufactures Blackwood Casting Crystal in Rubicon, Victoria, Aus.
Paul and Summer Sanders operate Glass Mob, working with indigenous artists helping them to create and exhibit their artworks in glass.
Phillip Stokes operates Phillip Stokes Studio Glass, a gallery and open access workshop for glass artists in Melbourne.
Other students on the course: Debbie Pettigrew, Amanda Robbins (TA), Jenny Loft, Ruth Downham and Merinda Young.
**Helen Stokes and Donald Robertson, along with his partner Susan Edgerley have expressed their interest in coming to New Zealand to teach Workshops in the future. If you are interested in the possibility of attending their respective courses please contact Di to register your interest.