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Molding James

Penland resident artist Dean Allison making a mold of James Haley's head

This is Penland resident artist Dean Allison beginning the process of creating a mold from the head and shoulders of 10-year-old James Haley. The mold will be used in the creation of one of Dean’s mesmerizing cast-glass portraits. James’s mother, Penland program director Leslie Noell, was close at hand to coach him through the 45-minute process. James got to pick the soundtrack, so Hamilton was playing throughout.

Penland resident artist Dean Allison making a mold of James Haley's head

The first step was to coat James’s hair with cold cream. Then Dean began to carefully cover his face with a silicone rubber that starts to set up in about about 10 minutes. He used his fingers to make sure all the details of James’s face would be well molded. He also took care to maintain breathing holes for James’s nose.

Penland resident artist Dean Allison making a mold of James Haley's head

With his whole head and shoulders covered, James began to acquire a Halloween-enviable, Creature from the Black Lagoon look. At this point it was important for him to sit very still as the material began to set up. “Pretend you are thinking about the hardest math problem you’ve ever had to do,” Dean instructed.

Penland resident artist Dean Allison making a mold of James Haley's head

The next step was to create a two-part plaster shell that will be used to keep the flexible mold rigid later when filling it with hot wax. Dean and his assistant Sarah Beth Post formed the shell using the same kind of cloth/plaster strips that are used to make a cast for a broken bone.

Once both halves of the shell were complete, they were left briefly to harden and then were carefully removed.

Here’s the front half of the shell coming off.

Penland resident artist Dean Allison making a mold of James Haley's head

Dean carefully slit the mold up the back while Sarah Beth separated the rubber from the shirt.

Penland resident artist Dean Allison making a mold of James Haley's head

And with Mom’s assistance, the mold was removed as gently as possible.

Penland resident artist Dean Allison making a mold of James Haley's head

There it goes.

Penland resident artist Dean Allison making a mold of James Haley's head

And James emerged intact!

“I was thinking about bagels the whole time,” he said to Leslie, “so now we need to go get a bagel.”

Hmm…well played.

This process is just Dean’s first step. Here’s the rubber mold back inside the plaster cast (upside down on the chair). The next step is to fill it with hot wax to make a wax positive.

Here is the wax model of James. Dean will clean this up quite a bit and do some additional sculpting—particularly on the hair.

He will use this wax model to create a new mold made of reinforced plaster, which will retain all the detail that’s in the wax. Finally he will melt out the wax and fill the plaster mold with molten glass to create the glass sculpture. After the glass cools Dean will put in hours of polishing and cold work to refine the piece before it will be ready for mounting.

Before joining the Penland residency, Dean Allison was Penland’s glass studio coordinator. He has a Masters of Art in Visual Art from Australian National University. His work has been exhibited recently at the National Portrait Gallery in DC, SOFA Chicago, and Blue Spiral I in Asheville, NC. You can see many examples of his portraiture on his website.

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Penland Studio Coordinator Show

BetsyDeWitt

Betsy DeWitt, from Upon Closer Examination, archival inkjet print of a 4″ round photomicrograph

 

Like Batman, Marie Curie, and Wallace Stevens who came before them, our studio coordinators live intense double lives, serving as the veritable rocks for the Penland studios during the day and making their own art (at night? When? How do they do it?)

 

deanallison

Dean Allison, Ally, cast and blown glass

 

susanfeagin

Susan Feagin, Square Bowl, mid-range clay, screen printed slips, sgraffito, colored glazes, 2011. Photo by Walker Montgomery.

 
We’re very excited to announce the opening of the Penland Studio Coordinator show at Green Plum Gallery, 130 Oak Avenue (Upper Street) in Spruce Pine, April 21. A reception will be held on April 25, 5:00-8:00 pm. Artists include:

 

Amanda Thatch (Textiles, works on paper)

Betsy DeWitt (Photography)

Ian Henderson (Metals)

Daniel T. Beck (Sculpture)

Sean P. Morrissey (Works on paper)

Susan Feagin (Ceramics)

Dean Allison (Cast and blown glass)

Marvin Jensen (Furniture)

 

amandathatch

Amanda Thatch, detail from Begin Again, textile

 

sean_p_morrissey

Sean P. Morrissey, Pile #2, collage on panel, 60 x 30

 

The show, dubbed In the Beginning There Was Marvin: 8 Coordinators, 15 Studios, will be on view these dates and hours:

Monday, April 21: 4-7 pm

Tuesday, April 22: 4-7 pm

Wednesday, April 23: 4-7 pm

Thursday, April 24: 4-7 pm

Friday, April 25: 5-8 pm (reception)

Saturday, April 26: 10-5 pm

Sunday, April 27: 11-3 pm 

 

ianhenderson

Ian Henderson, Partum, bronze, gold-plated silver, ash

 

Some of the works included in this blog post will be on view. Some won’t. Expect the marvelous.