Video: Seattle Art Scene – The scorching process of bronze casting

Bronze casting is a scorching affair at Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle, Washington and an important part of the Seattle art scene.

Pratt Fine Arts is one of the few facilities where artists can learn to pour bronze independently without going to college.

Pratt Fine Arts instructor Jeanne Marie Ferraro talks to us about the process of pouring bronze during the REFRACT Seattle Glass Experience held annually in October. This year REFRACT 2024 runs October 17-20. Watch the video below to see the bronze pouring demonstration.

The students shown are from a beginner class in an eight-week program.

Each student made an individual piece.

Video: Seattle Art Scene – Bronze Casting Process at Pratt Fine Arts Center

Pratt Fine Arts Center bronze pouring demonstration during the Refract Seattle Glass Experience event.

Bronze Casting Process at Pratt Fine Arts Center

• A piece is made out of clay, PLA 3D printed or any material as long as a mold can be made out of it and pull a wax from it. Find out more about PLA 3D printing.
• When the wax has been made, it is ready to be cast into bronze.
• The waxes are then made by having an original positive.
• A rubber mould is made around it.
• The original positive is pulled out of the rubber mold.
• The rubber mold now has a space that is the shape of the original positive.
• Wax is poured into a rubber mold.
• Wax is put into an investment casting mold. (The white molds shown are placed in the sand.)
• The molds are placed into a kiln.
• These are heated to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
• The wax is melted out.
• The molds are taken out and placed into a sand pit so all the molds can be at the same height.
• The bronze is melted in a crucible and heated to 1,900 degrees Fahrenheit.
• The green flame comes out because of the copper in the bronze.
• The crucible is then lifted out of the ground.
• The melted bronze, weighing 300 lbs., is put into a pouring ring with two handles.
• Two people guide the pouring ring.
• The pouring starts with the thinnest molds, working through to the thicker molds.
• After the molds are cooled, a sledgehammer and an axe are used to break the molds.
• Finally, the bronze will cleaned and polished.

Pratt Fine Arts School Center instructor Jeanne Marie Ferraro discussed the process of bronze casting. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

Pratt Arts School Center is an important part of the Seattle Art Scene

Pratt Fine Arts Center has been creating art for more than 40 years. The Seattle Art Center was started by a group of community artists who wanted an open-access public facility in the city’s central district.

Other art schools in Seattle come to Pratt Fine Arts to use the space and equipment available.

After completing a safety test, Seattle artists can rent studios on the premises. It is an affordable way for artists to create without owning their own equipment.

“This fosters a great atmosphere with professional artists who have huge careers, working alongside artists who are just starting out”, says instructor Marie Ferraro.

Ferraro explains, “This helps the beginner artist learn faster and lets them see a wide variety of techniques in every studio.”

Other Events at Pratt Arts Center

Pratt has events throughout the year with master artists, Fall open house, markets, auctions and custom arts events.

Find out more about Seattle’s glass art experience

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