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Put the Pedal to the Metal at the MAH

Posted by on August 17, 2012

Photo Credit: Shmuel Thaler | Santa Cruz Sentinel

Visitors have expressed an interest in working more in-depth with artists here at the MAH. This weekend during Experience Metal, we will be offering several opportunities for community members to explore the wide range of what can be created, crafted, and performed with metal through several artist led-workshops and demonstrations. We are excited to share a variety of ways working with metal during this three day event that includes welding, blacksmithing, bronze bell casting, junk metal art, jewelry crafting, wire art, robots, cuttlefish casting, fold forming, bike art, a Plasma CNC machine, heavy metal music, motorcycles…and yes, there will be hot rods. We kick off the weekend this evening by dedicating 3rd Friday as a special preview night of stellar metal performances in prelude to the Experience Metal weekend. Come to the MAH this weekend to link, twist, weld and fuse together a metallically monumental experience!

And hey, we are not the only ones thrilled about experiencing metal in the most usual and unusual ways; so is the Sentinel. Check out yesterday’s article here

Interested in a more hands on experience with metal? Below you will find the line up of demonstrations and workshops we are offering here this weekend…sign up today.

 

3rd Friday: Experience Metal  

Kirk McNeil from Freedom Forge will demonstrate the art of black smithing on our Front Street entrance.

Progressive technical metal band, G.U.M. will play in Abbott Square from 6:30-8PM.

Ed Martinez will be demonstrating his creative techniques in junk metal art throughout the evening.

Pierre Riche will be presenting “Metaface as Gaia” as a live multi-arts-discipline theatre experience from 8-9PM. This performance incorporates video image mixing and projections with live dance and movement. The performances take place in an eight foot tall welded metal mask sculpture incorporating shadowdancing from within.

 

 

Experience Metal: SATURDAY 

Demonstrations by: Ed Martninez – Scavenged Art | Nora Dougherty – Cuttlefish Casting | Wendy Ballen – 3D Wire Sculptures | Michael Wood – Blacksmithing | Paul Hempstead, Chris Cravey, Steve Schnaar, Ari Finklelstein & Benjamin Osen – Freak Bikes | Monterey Bay Metal Arts Guild & Cabrillo Seahawks Metal Arts Club – Crazy Metal Quilt Participatory Demo | Aaron Van De Kerchove – Oxy Acetylene Welding | Liz Judkins, Daniel Yasmin & Nick DeFillipo – Bronze Bell Casting | Re-Cycle Santa Cruz , Liza Miller – Motorcycles

Workshops by:

Laamie Young from Blank Verse: Chain Mail Necklaces                                                                                 Time:11AM-1PM | Location: Classroom | Price: $35 | Ages 8 and up, 10 students maximum

Mend broken jewelry in a workshop that creates new necklaces from old metal scraps. Register here.

 

Pat Accorinti: Silver Clay Charm Making                                                                                                                        Time(s): 2 sessions: 11-1PM and 2-4PM | Location: Auditorium | Price: $45 | 12 Student Maximum

Learn how to shape, texture and fire clay made from fine silver particles and an organic binder to make charms that can be used for pendants, earrings or bracelets. Kids are welcome as long as they accompanied by an adult. Register here.

 

Monterey Bay Metal Arts Guild & Cabrillo Seahawk Metal Arts Club: Make-A-Bracelet  

Time(s):1:30-3PM and 3:30-5PM | Location: Classroom | Price: $25 | 12 Students Maximum each session, all ages welcome

Start with a strip of copper and learn how to texture, stamp, emboss and decorate your own cuff bracelet. Learn techniques in applying patina and buffing copper for your own finished bracelet to take home. Register here.

 

 

Experience Metal: SUNDAY

Demonstrations by: Joshua Muir – Art Bikes | Alan Ziegler & Celise Clevenger – Plasma Cutter | Monterey Bay Metal Arts Guild & Cabrillo Seahawks Metal Arts Club – Crazy Metal Quilt Participatory Demo | Dawn Nakanishi – Fold Forming | Clark Vineyard – Rockability Hot Rods | Yehuda Tassa – Filigree Jewelry

 

Workshops by:

Ed Martinez: Create Scavenged Art                                                                                                                                Time(s): 11-12:30, 1:00-2:30 and 3:30-5:00 | Location: North Court | Price: $20 | 10 students maximum per session, Ages 8 and up

This workshop will work with an array of materials, tools, found objects and aluminum to create different textures and shapes in metal. Register here.

 

Wendy Ballen: 3D Wire Ornament                                                                                                                                Time(s): 11AM – 2PM | Location: Auditorium | Price:$30.00 | 16 students maximum, Ages 16 and up

Learn how to make an embellished 3D wire ornament using different combinations of metal wire, copper, brass, anodized and galvanized steel. Register here. 

 

Laamie Young from Blank Verse: Chain Mail Necklaces                                                                                      Time:11AM-1PM | Location: Classroom. Price: $35 | 10 students maximum, ages 8 and up

Mend broken jewelry in a workshop that creates new necklaces from old metal scraps. Register here. 

 

Nora Dougherty: Cuttlefish Casting                                                                                                                                   Time: 12-3pm | Location: North Court | Price: $45 | 12 students maximum, ages 10 and up

Learn one of the earliest forms of metal casting with cuttlefish bones. This technique produces metal objects that have a beautiful, rich and aquatic texture. All materials will be provided for each person to make at least one piece out of copper. Students are encouraged to bring their own tools and metal. This process does produce a slight burning smell; consider yourselves warned! Register here. 

 

Jeff Caplan: Make a Face: Calder’s Wire Cartoon Workshop                                                                                      Time: 2:30-3:30PM | Location: Auditorium. | Price: $25 | 14 students maximum, All ages welcome

Enjoy this playshop of wire trick; a spool of  wire will become your everyday face, your eyes in disguise or your smile as superhero. Hang your creation on the museum wall during the day and take it home later. Optional artist photos will invite others to puzzle “Can you match the sculpture to the Face that made it?”  Register here. 

 

Jeff Caplan:Whimsical Wire – Portrait Earrings and Figure Sculptures                                                                     Time: 4:00-5:30PM | Location: Auditorium | Price: $35 | 12 Students Maximum, Ages 8 and up.

Beginning and advanced artists will solve the puzzle of sculpting an expressive face in one continuous strand of color; draw in crimson copper or brilliant brass! Following your passion,you may choose to make a dazzling pair of personalized earrings, or you may create a personal icon of active inspiration for your desk, dinner table or dashboard. Register here. 

 

Michael Wood: Metal Foil Embossing                                                                                                                           Time(s) 1-2:30 and 3-4:30PM. Location: North Court. $45. Ages 6 and up. 14 student maximum.

Metal Foil Embossing is a form of sheet metal embossing that uses a series of hand tools to work the metal into a relief form. We will be exploring the different techniques necessary to achieve that relief, and each participant will create their own piece utilizing those techniques. Copper and aluminum are the metals we will be working. We will also address a number of finishes that can be applied to those particular metals.  Register here. 

Yehudah Tassa: Filigree Jewelry                                                                                                                                        Time: 2-5PM | Price: $75. | Ages 8 and up. | 10 students maximum Location: Classroom

Make a pair of earrings worth $100 for the workshop price of $75! This workshop will allow participants to construct the frames, fill with filigree elements, use soldering tools and experiment with personalized de corations. Walk away with a beautiful pair of earrings and the knowledge to make them again yourself!  Register here. 

 

Angela Gleason: Pewter Casting                                                                                                                                     Time(s) 11-1:30PM and 2-5:00PM | Location: Front Street | Price: $45 | Ages: 15 and upr. 8 students maximum.

Angela Gleason – Proprietor of Jewelry Toolery at the Tannery Art Center and Adjunct Instructor of Art at Cabrillo College, will instruct a pewter casting workshop. Bring a shape(s),for e xample a seashell, a toy, or found object; that is flat on one side and approximately 1” x 1” x ¼” deep. Or you can use the ones provided. We will pack sand around the shape in a frame. Once removed, the shape creates an impression or mold in the sand. Molten pewter is then poured into the mold; it is cooled and finished with sandpaper or files. The finished object can be a pendant, small tile or a paperweight or whatever you wish. We will experiment beyond the basic method for your second piece. Written handouts will be available. Each participant will have two finished pieces.  Register here. 

All registration for metal workshops can be found here. 

Special thanks to our sponsors, AmeriGasGeo H Wilson and New Leaf Community Markets.