Tag: toronto etsy street team

Toronto’s Carnival of Taxidermy Book Signing event!

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Toronto’s Carnival of Taxidermy Book Signing event!
Join us Thursday evening July 6th for a wildy wondrous celebration replete with stop-motion films, taxidermy demonstrations, signature punch, oddity vendors, fortune telling and more…
Immerse yourself in an evening of wonder and revelry at this carnivalesque gala of oddity, art, and science celebrating the release of a fascinating new book on the art of taxidermy by Brooklyn taxidermists Divya Anantharaman and Katie Innamorato. Come discover the secrets and stories of this resurgent craft at this illuminating and enchanting celebration.
Oddity vendors include:
House of the Sacred Heart
In their new book Stuffed Animals, Anantharaman and Innamorato demystify the practice of taxidermy, shatter the gross stereotypes, and make it accessible to anyone. Committed to ethical and sustainable sourcing. The authors are part of the vanguard of young taxidermists who bring a sense of fun and experimentation to this old-school hobby. Join us to celebrate the release of the book!
Cash bar & Raffle – Wheel of fortune spin!
Guests have a chance to spin the wheel & win a trick or treat!
Some of the items up for grabs:
A seat in the Entomology workshop, Friday July 7
A seat in the 2-headed chick workshop, Saturday July 8
A seat in a Ring band making workshop
A beautifully bizarre jellyfish pendant
and more!
Pre-order your book and have it signed at the event! Link below.

Details:

Book Signing Carnival of Taxidermy Event, 906 Queen Street West @Crawford, July 6th 5pm – Midnight

Advance book purchase, pick-up during book signing 

Science and Art workshops in Toronto #sciart

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 Flame working Glass Eyes for Taxidermy & Sculpture – Thursday evening July 6th 6:30-9:30pm  $185pp 10 student max. 2 seats remain.

This is a special workshop teaching students basic murrini and cane construction methods, shaping glass at a bench-mounted, surface-mix oxygen/propane torch. Safety is discussed, tools, terminology of glass, and process. Each student will have access to a torch and will melt and form glass using a variety of hand tools. 

This is the chance to experience working molten glass and make glass eyes! Various iris methods will be demonstrated: Dragon eyes, mammalian, avian, cephalopod, alien as well as pulling eye cane and adding nichrome wire. Working with hard glass and soft glass students will produce eye shapes and sizes they can use in their taxidermy specimen, sculptural work or jewellery.   Class fee includes all materials
No experience necessary!btn_buynow_LG Ages 12 on up are welcome!

Back & Front view
Back & Front view

ENTOMOLOGY 101: Morphos & Jewels {Beetles & Moths) Friday, July 7th 6:30-9pm Lecture/demo starts at 6:30pm  $75 for full workshop 6:30-9pm  btn_buynow_LG

 

This workshop takes place at 906 Queen Street West (at Crawford)

In this class, students will learn everything about basic insect preparation. We will discuss harvesting and drying specimen, rehydrating dried specimen, and in class we will practice handling techniques, spreading, mounting, the nuances of posing, display, and maintenance. An assortment of ethically sourced insects; Beetles, moths and butterflies, in various sizes, shapes, and colors will be provided. Students will learn how to put together and maintain their own rehydration chamber, things to check for during all stages of the process to ensure a clean and successful end product, and tips for gentle handling. We will also cover how to select museum quality materials for displays. Students receive 1 Riker mount for their specimen, 1 set of insect pins & 2 insects.

As always, all specimen are ethically sourced. We will be reviewing the origins of the insects used in class, how students can ethically and legally source specimen, and suggested, reputable suppliers.

Students go home with their own prepared insects, one Riker mount display, the pinning/spreading board made during class, resource list as well as 1 set of insect pins.and the knowledge to create their own pieces in the future. It is recommended students bring a small bag or box or display case to transport their pieces. Wooden spreading boards, insect pins, archival habitat materials and various insects are available at the studio for purchase.

Spreading boards, insect pins, archival habitat materials and various insects are available at the studio for purchase.  (participants can choose 2 insects to work on)! 299217

Lecture and demonstration can be attended for $25. Lecture/demo fee can be added towards the full workshops offered if you change your mind (if space is available)! Full workshop includes 2-3 insects (a variety to choose from!) one Riker mount display, the pinning/spreading board made during class, resource list as well as 1 set of insect pins.

Other unusual insects will be available for purchase before and after the workshops! Tea, coffee, water and snacks will be available during class.

Lecture/Demo
Lecture/Demo
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proud member

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New Year • New Experience

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Pate de verre small bowl

Pâte de verre workshops 

Option 1: 3hr workshop, $150pp Friday afternoon or evenings January 27th noon-3pm or 5pm-8pmbtn_buynow_LG

Participants learn how to fill a pre-made mould of a small bowl or skull (think sugar skull), these pieces are then fired and participants return to the studio to divest and finish their pieces. Materials included, no experience necessary!
Option 2: 10hr workshop, Saturday Feb 10th, 10am-5pm (w/lunch break), 2nd day/evening scheduled during workshop, 3-6pm or 6:30pm-9:30pm $250pp  btn_buynow_LG
Students learn the basics of pâte de verre from start to finish while making a thin-walled, kilnformed bowl (med/largish). Students make a plaster silica mold from a model, pack it with glass, fire it, then divest and finish it. Students will have access to a broad palette of colored frit and samples to help predict and understand fired qualities. Demonstrations include various techniques of working with glass powders against the mold, working with color reactions, as well as how to back-fill a packed mold to support the walls of the piece during firing.   
Interested in continuing your glass or metal experiments, honing skills or just renting kiln time? Check out our Open Studio link above for further info 

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Ars Vitraria Experimentalis : kiln casting Sand casting workshop
6 Sessions: Saturday &  Sunday afternoons, 1pm – 5pm, Next course starts February TBA 2017 $430 includes materials. deposit_buttonThis course is perfect for people looking to turn non-glass items into glass, sculpt items out of clay/wax to be cast in glass, incorporate other materials with cast glass (wood, cement, stone, found items, etc). Using the lost wax casting process as well as sand casting, this course covers various mould making techniques. Adding metal inclusions. Packing moulds with glass, casting and annealing cycles, working with alginate, making silicone moulds to replicate pieces.  Students will learn how to hand finish pieces; grind, sand, and cut glass. Participants in this class will create original sculptures, while learning the infinite possibilities of Kiln casting and Sand casting.    Participants work by recycling glass bottles and casting this glass into sand, create clay models and learn how to build silicone moulds for lost wax castings, etc.   No experience necessary!  Size max 18cm in any direction. Deposit of $215 required to hold seat.

Students will make silicone moulds from items they wish to cast in glass. Examples: plastic/vinyl toy/action figure, anatomical models or small branch, unusual vegetable/fruit, seed pod. Items could also be modelled from Sculpey clay and fired ahead of attending the workshop. Glass options are discussed.

Students pour multiple waxes from their silicone moulds, refine their wax models (add or subtract). Models are then weighed and various glass options are revisited. Once glass choice is determined pouring gates are added to models and then a silica based refractory mould is built around the wax models. Once moulds set up the wax is then steamed out. Meanwhile, glass is weighed, and cleaned.

Sand Casting (BYOB):  Students are asked to bring in 3-4 empty beer bottles. Bottles are cleaned of labels then broken down and melted in a crucible. Simple forms are pressed into sand and the molten glass is slowly poured into these impressions. Glass is then annealed. – further details/instruction given in class.

What’s included:

2 kg of glass

Approx. .9 kg silicon& plastics necessary for mould building (determine if you will need more through the online material calculator)

Refractory materials

Wax

Nitrile gloves

n95 Particulate respirator

Cold-working consumables

Note: These workshops are messy! Please wear/bring in clothing that can get covered in clay, plaster, water, etc.

Call to Artists, Curators & Art Patrons

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nanopod: Hybrid Studio rent/share/pop-up space
nanopod: Hybrid Studio rent/share/pop-up space

Looking for artists/crafters interested in sharing the 322 Harbord Studio space September thru January 2017 (possibly longer) $1100 – Utilities included. Rent includes use of tools and equipment, 24/7 access. Or pay the total of $4500 and make it your own space*! Ikea shelving units optional. 510 square foot storefront with partially finished basement (main floor approx 300sqft). Washroom, upstairs sink, two hose hook-ups. Willing to rent out as a Holiday pop-up for $900 (Dec 1-31st)

Please email nanotopia if interested. Time is of the essence. 

Share the Studio – Sublease the Studio – Support the Studio
*All equipment & tools removed from space.

Sculpt molten glass

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glass cabsGlass cabochons, bezel settings & fold forming, heat rivet connections & simple hollow forms. 4 evenings starting Tuesday June 7th-28th (runs Tuesday evenings 6:30-10pm), $280pp Deposit of half required to hold seat. Seating is limited-register soon!
Students form molten glass into cabochon forms for bezel and tab settings.
1st evening: Working with hard glass students learn how to form, add inclusions, powders, and foils to create cabochon forms. Annealing schedules are discussed, learning heat control and manipulating molten glass.
2nd evening: Students remove their glass ‘cabs’ from the annealing kiln, inspect them, cold-work if necessary and start to design and solder their bezel settings. Fold forming, heat rivets (or pinning) is demonstrated, and hollow-form construction. Students start to build their pieces.
3rd evening: Thick wire tab setting is demonstrated. Students continue building their work.
4th evening: Students finish up their projects.

What’s included: Copper, brass, solder, all glass and copper metal foil.
Students are encouraged to bring in their own fine silver foil, bezel wire and sterling silver sheet, but this is not mandatory.

register
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