Creating Cement Art - including Sculpture and Acid Staining
In the Studio in Caldera at Black Rock Art Ranch
www.blackrockartranch.com/Cement_Art.html

by Chris McCall

January 6, 7 and 8, 2016, plus four extra elective workshop days January 9, 10, 12 and 13 if you wish.*
Class is From 10:00 till 12:30pm workshop time till 3:00pm. (Studio opens at 9:00am)
Cost is $75 including all materials and supplies***

Reservations: chrismccall@me.com, 6137-5602 - deposit required email and we will send Paypal invoice or you can deposit in the bank
www.blackrockartranch.com/Cement_Art.html
Directions to The Art Ranch on the web site.

There is lots of one-on-one instruction during the workshop periods, and after class on the 3 class days. Many students work the whole time but many students just come to the class days if they don't have time in their schedule. You the student decide how much you want to do.

Concrete is used widely in Panama for all construction. Concrete is also a great medium for crafts and artwork. In this workshop we will learn how to mix concrete and mortar, make concrete stepping stones with various designs and patterns, make concrete bowls and planters, bird baths, and any 3d shape plus acid stain concrete, and color concrete with liquid and powder dyes.

January 6 - Working with concrete and mortar, 10:00am to noon with workshop time in the afternoon until 3:00pm — Please come a little early.

• The tools you need for working with concrete
• Safety procedures for concrete and acid staining
• How to properly mix concrete and mortar including the common formulas and some of the additives used in concrete.
• A slide show on the use of cement for counter tops and unusual house construction.
• Adding powdered color to your concrete
• Making molds for concrete
• Arranging leafs for pleasing patterns
• Planning for your 3d (sculpture project). Proper use of steel and the different types of wire that can be used for the artist. All students will make one bowl to learn techniques of working with forms. Workshop time will include one-on-one instruction in the first steps in creating your sculpture.

January 7 - Sand Casting and Sculpture work (open at 9:00am with class at 10:00am and workshop in the afternoon)

• Sand casting allows you to create very irregular shapes, beautiful bird baths form leaves, serving platters, bread dishes, only limited by the imagination.
• All students in class will make a sand cast leaf.
• Also during class students will clean up their bowl from the day before, learn to release the form, shape the "green cement" with rasps, sand paper and wire brushes.
• Class will have discussion on the use of Ferro Cement.
• Ferro cement is doing cement work over thin metal. Commonly used for sculptures and things like concrete counter tops. Using Ferro cement you can make almost any shape in concrete.
• Preparing the metal, using rebar to support different shapes.
• Scratch coating the metal and finish repello.
• It is really easy to make wonderful pre Columbian type sculptures or anything that you can think of.
• Workshop time will be one on one help with each persons projects.

January 8 - Acid Staining and Finishing (open at 9:00am with class at 10:00am and workshop in the afternoon)

• This is the day you finish all the projects you have been working on. Staining them and sealing them. Everything must be taken home at the end of this workshop day.
• Safety precautions for working with acid.
• Using and buying Commercial stains
• Mixing your own stains from common chemicals used in pottery.
• Preparing the concrete for staining
• Working with old concrete and new concrete
• Different methods of application
• Making patterns with the stain
• Using acrylic colors to fix areas that don¹t take or to add accent to the staining.
• Sealing the concrete after staining Waxing the concrete

Work Shop Days
January 9, 10, 12 and 13 - Workshop Days 9:00am to 3:00pm  (you may come and leave as you desire until closing)

During workshop days Chris will work one-on-one with each person helping them as they need it with there projects. There is no formal schedule, you may come any time between 9:00am and 3:00pm.

The workshop fee is $75. Materials and space fee is included. ***Extra material charge for really large projects. Deposit is required and you may do so on the website via Paypal which accepts any credit card.

The teacher for this workshop will be Chris McCall. Chris has been in the arts for many years. In 1985 he opened the Stained Glass School and Supply in Denver Colorado. Chris moved to Panama Central America in 2004, he designed and built a resort called Rancho de Caldera. In 2010 he opened his art studio in Boquete teaching cement art, stained glass, paper making, felting, and spinning and last year moved the Studio to Caldera. Caldera is beautiful, the studio is on a hill top so is cooler than Caldera itself because of the mountain breezes.

You will leave the workshop with new knowledge, some beautiful cement art pieces and sculptures.

Please email your reservation to Chris McCall, pay deposit on the web site - chrismccall@me.com
For Questions call Chris at 6137-5602