Sleuth | McCarter Theatre Center | design by Alexander Dodge | 2020
Silicone mold taken of original figurine. Isomalt sugar substitute was melted, tinted with white food coloring for a porcelain effect, and tempered to easily shatter upon impact, then slush cast into the mold and left to harden/cool. Once removed from mold, the sugar glass statue was carefully sealed in a clear acrylic spray paint and hand painted with Design Master paints for desired effect. Shattering mechanism constructed by Grant Larouere. Silicone mold taken in one day; casting and finishing done at a rate of 3 statues per day; total of 14 statues created before production was postponed due to COVID-19.
The Thirteenth Child | Santa Fe Opera | design by Alexander Dodge | 2019
Six rubber axes cast onto carved wooden handles. Two part Vytaflex mold taken of a custom wooden axe head (carved by Adam Hooper), six rigid Reoflex casts made using silica microsphere powder to decrease cost and weight. Reoflex initially tinted red as a design choice, but then dyed black and painted with grey and silver powder tinted Reoflex to change the final color to look like steel. Six axes completed over a week and a half.
The Thirteenth Child | Santa Fe Opera | design by Alexander Dodge | 2019
Two hands molded in Alginate of a prop carpenter’s hands. Cast with tinted Dragon Skin silicone onto wooden dowels to allow a solid attachment point. Molded and cast in half a day.
Vanessa | Santa Fe Opera | design by Allen Moyer | 2016
Six foot tall chandelier with 12 arms. After sketching out the arms, one was sculpted out of foam and clay on a metal frame, and a urethane rubber mold was made of it. Twelve rigid expanding foam casts were made around 12 steel armatures. Wire was run down an exterior channel carved into the arms and sealed over with Apoxie. All 12 pieces were sanded and coated in foam coat before being attached to the chandelier frame. Frame, top medallion, metal armatures, and spiral constructed by David Schneider. Sculpted, cast, and sanded over a three week period.
Sleuth | McCarter Theatre Center | design by Alexander Dodge | 2020
Silicone mold taken of actual puzzle jug. Isomalt sugar substitute was melted, tinted with white food coloring for a porcelain effect, and tempered to easily shatter upon impact, then slush cast into the mold and left to harden/cool. Handle of jug was cast separately then the ends were melted and attached to jug. Once removed from mold, the jug was carefully sealed in a clear acrylic spray paint and sprayed with Design Master to create a glazed effect. Cutout areas were painted with black acrylic to make them look like holes. Shattering mechanism constructed by Grant Larouere. Silicone molds taken in one day; casting and finishing done at a rate of 3 jugs per day; total of 14 created before production was postponed due to COVID-19.
As You Like It | The Juilliard School | design by Jason Ardizzone-West | 2014
Mold taken from a real shotgun, done in silicone and encased in a plaster mothermold. The positive casts are made of a two-part resin shell and filled with expanding foam to reduce cost. A metal rod is embedded in the gun, to increase the weight. Molded and cast over a 2 week period.
The Golden Cockerel | Santa Fe Opera | design by Gary McCann | 2017
Led four person team in the sculpting, molding, and casting of the adornments on an oversized, 12 foot tall throne. Front decorations were sculpted in clay, then molded in urethane and cast in resin. Following paper patterns I created, the team similarly sculpted and cast the remaining lower surfaces. Details on the back of the throne were sculpted in model magic foam and coated in resin for durability and lightness. The top of the throne was sculpted by Ashley Lawler, and the lion heads and feet by Tobias Harding. Further sculpting assistance was provided by Michael Chemez and Elise Christiansen. All items were mounted on a frame constructed by David Schneider. Ornamentation created over the course of 1.5 weeks.
Sleuth | McCarter Theatre Center | design by Alexander Dodge | 2020
Created as an alternative option for the breakaway shepherdess, a 3 part plaster mold was made of the original figurine (by Susan DeConcini). Once de-molded, the plaster was ratchet strapped closed and filled with clay slip. After 10 minutes, the clay was poured out, leaving a 1/4” thick slipcast of the original statue. When mostly dried, it was carefully removed from the mold, allowing both the clay and plaster to dry out completely. Once dry, the figure’s base was shaved flat and spray painted white. Each cast took an hour to complete. Despite being the cheaper option, the Isomalt version of the shepherdess was selected, because it shattered more realistically. Shattering mechanism constructed by Grant Larouere.
Sleuth | McCarter Theatre Center | design by Alexander Dodge | 2020
Isomalt sugar substitute was melted and tempered to easily shatter upon impact, then poured into the mold and left to harden/cool. Isomalt was chosen over sugar for its clarity. Final frames were blow torched to remove surface bubbles and sealed in a clear acrylic spray for long lasting transparency. Silicone mold and 14 panes constructed over 1 week, before production was postponed due to COVID-19.
Vanessa | Santa Fe Opera | design by Allen Moyer | 2016
Acanthus leaf crown constructed using resin castings of a found metal acanthus leaf. While the castings cured, they were trimmed and bent around a jig carved from bead foam to account for the angle of the ceiling rake. Tin flashing was run down the center of the leaves to add structure and prevent breaking, and the leaves were then bolted to a circular base and installed around the chandelier frame. Constructed in two days, medallion made by David Schneider.
Personal Project | 2012
Sculpted clay bust that was cast in molding plaster, then extracted to break open the mold. Hydrocal plaster was poured into the mold, and the softer molding plaster was then chipped away to reveal the plaster bust.
Personal Project | 2013
Three brass paperweight sculptures created using the technique of lost wax casting. The original pieces were carved out of wax, cast in plaster (in a vacuum to remove air bubbles), and the molds were then heated to melt the wax out. The volume of the sculpture was calculated, and the proper amount of brass was melted down and poured into the plaster, using a vacuum to pull the molten metal through the entire mold. These three pieces were created in one week.
