The Bullpen Foundry facilitates iron and bronze casting, for and with local, national and international artists. Community groups and visitors are able to take part in funded workshops to observe and take part in the processes first hand.
The foundry boasts a continuous-flow cupola and a cupolette furnace for iron, two crucible furnaces for bronze and bespoke equipment made on site by the foundry director, Wesley Jacobs.
Our emphasis is on access and engagement, and funding has enabled us to facilitate groups of children and young people, older adults, artists and visitors from the local community to participate in workshops. Groups experience the workings of the foundry first hand – receive excellent tuition and make their own design for a cast iron tile.
For artists, the projects at The Bullpen provide opportunities for the exchange of ideas and creative practice. We have enabled a changing community of professional artists to maintain, renew and develop their practice and overcome isolation. The workshops offer the opportunity to become part of something new – a constructive, making-based art movement that has taken hold in USA and now the UK. It uses craft/skill based on classical sculpting traditions – and makes it relevant to contemporary conceptual art making. The Bullpen provides the only known regular access to this in the region.
