Connect & Carve: Mindful Molds for Iron Art

Meld fire with mindfulness with this unique experience in making a custom iron art mold! Learn the easiest way to create your own iron art mold while experiencing the meditative and connective power of this art form. With guidance from your instructor and support from your fellow classmates, you'll turn a 2D design into a 3D mold to create your iron art. This process is simple, easy to learn, and meditative. You'll use tools like metal spoons, screwdrivers, and more to scratch your design out of the sand & resin mold. This class will encourage both creative and relational mindfulness practices. You'll have the chance to explore these practices at your own pace with the help of your instructor. At the end of the class, you'll leave your mold with us until our iron pour during Arts on Fire and take with you a calmer mind.

Your completed mold will be filled with cast iron on Sunday, September 14 during our annual Arts on Fire event, by a crew of iron artists from all over NC. Join us that day to watch your mold get filled and discover the world of fire art through demonstrations, classes, vendors, and more!

Arts on Fire is a sponsored project of the Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County and funded through Arts for EveryBody Community Project Grant.

Meet Nancey Cost, Arts on Fire Artist in Residence 2025

Nancey has been a lifelong crafter and artist in many different media. Besides tie-dye, over the years she has enjoyed crocheting, sewing, cake decorating, glass blowing, pottery, cast iron and has even dabbled in wood turning and welding. It brings her much joy to help others tap into their creative being. In her day job as an Architectural Designer she loves bringing her creativity to the table to help people realize their dreams in creating a home they love.

Nancey is the Arts on Fire Artist in Residence for 2025. As one of Mixxer's most skilled scratchblock artists, Nancey has been making iron art molds since the first year of Mixxer's iron pour. Most recognizable for her sea animals, using unique undercutting techniques for folks who have seen her work in past years. This year, as the Arts on Fire Artist in Residence, she is offering multiple unique scratchblock class offerings to others on how to make even more amazing iron art. Additionally, she has been working to aid in the creation of a Raku pottery kiln, which will make its debut firing during the Arts on Fire finale event on September 14.

Makers under the age of 16 are required to be accompanied by an adult. For any questions, please email workshops@wsmixxer.org