Pouring A Soleri Bell


Just how I felt!

Last week I went to Cosanti, Paolo Soleri’s Gallery in Paradise Valley Arizona.  This is a place I have wanted to go since getting my college design degree. 

Ceiling of the Gallery


Soleri is a world-renowned architectural innovator and Cosanti is a place that he designed and built that features experimental earth-formed concrete structures in terraced landscaping.  It is once again gaining in popularity because it was originally built to be ecologically friendly.  More with less!  It is one of Arizona’s historic sites and over the years many architectural students have studied here. 
Cosanti  (http://www.cosanti.com/ ) is a non-profit organization and  produces bronze bells that Soleri is famous for designing.   There is a foundry on site and I was able to watch the process of the pouring of the bells and of course take pictures.  Some bells are polished, some have patina, some are signed by Soleri and the prices range from $79(sale price) to many thousands.  The natural shapes are highlighted by the sun as they hang from eaves and trees on the site.   Enjoy the pictures of the process. 



Lifting very hot bronze from the heat.

Carefully carrying the molten bronze to the molds.

Getting into position to pour the molten bronze.

Pouring

Molten Bronze

The bronze is cooling in the forms.  The metal (to the right) was removed from the ash forms.


Breaking the ash and finding the bell!

A set of somewhat cooled bells just out of the ash.

A bell that has been cooled and is ready to finish.

I’m inspired by the philosophy and the architecture.  I bet some of my new silver clay pieces will be inspired by this visit.

A vey large bell that hangs in the gallery.



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Comments

  1. Truscale29October 25, 2011 at 6:06 PM

    Very nice. I like seeing the pictures of the process. Thank you for writing this.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousOctober 26, 2011 at 8:54 AM

    Very interesting. I've always wanted to go there also. We pass Arcosanti on the way to Flagstaff and it looks so interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  3. SheilaOctober 26, 2011 at 4:39 PM

    interesting Linda. It would have been fascinating to watch and I can see how it would inspire you.

    ReplyDelete

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