Making Dynamic Molds
with Brooks Oliver
Course Schedule:
2nd Tuesdays // 6-8pm EST
Course Description:
Have you ever wanted to step up your mold making game? Do you know how to work with plaster, but just can’t get the process as dialed in as you want? Do you have an idea for something to cast but can’t figure out how to make the mold? Have you ever wanted to make something in clay and can’t figure out how to make clay do that thing? Do you tend to think of mold making as too rigid and not flexible enough of a process? Well this is that cohort for you!
Designed for intermediate and advanced mold makers, this Plaster Mold Making and Slip Casting class focuses on refining technical skills while expanding creative and production possibilities. Participants will develop complex multi-piece molds, troubleshoot challenging forms, improve mold efficiency and longevity, and explore advanced strategies for designing and prototyping forms specifically for slip casting. Emphasis is placed on precision, problem-solving, and understanding how mold design influences the final ceramic object.
Participants will use their molds to produce high-quality slip-cast work while experimenting with repeatable production methods. Individual projects are encouraged, with instruction tailored to each student's goals, whether creating sculptural forms, functional ware, or developing a cohesive body of work. This course is intended for students with prior experience in plaster mold making and slip casting who are ready to deepen their technical expertise and expand their personal studio practice.
Sessions will be flexibly structured based on the group’s needs and may include demonstrations, lectures, and a particular focus on group discussions problem-solving how to make certain designs and molds. Guest lectures will be arranged according to participants’ interests.
Registration opens October 19th at 10am Central Time
About Brooks
Brooks Oliver is an Associate Professor of Ceramics at the University of North Texas and a studio artist based out of Denton, TX. He completed a long-term residency and now serves as the Past President of the Board of Directors at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana. In 2017 was named an Emerging Artist by the National Council on Education in the Ceramic Arts. He received his MFA from The Pennsylvania State University, his BFA at Southern Methodist University, and completed his post baccalaureate studies at Syracuse University. He has taught in Jindezhen, China and regularly teaches workshops in and out of university settings including Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Penland School of Craft, the Anderson Ranch, and Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts.
The ambition of his work is to reimagine and reinterpret the familiar functional vessel and to blur the boundaries between craft, design, industry, and technology by marrying the production techniques of CAD software and rapid prototyping technologies with the creation techniques of the hand.
Contact information: Brooks.oliver@unt.edu
Website: http://www.brooksoliver.com/
Social Media: Instagram: @Brooksoliver
