Automata Class: Create Your Own Whimsical Mechanical Machine
June 3 to June 7, 2024
Learn how to combine woodcarving, engineering and a bit of wizardry to create animated wood sculptures that seem to spring to life of their own accord!
Join Cecilia Schiller for a 5-day exploration of this magical art form in her Red Barn Studio in Northern Wisconsin adjacent to the Brule River State Forest.
Cecilia will guide students as they develop their ideas to create a unique automaton of their own design! Beginning with the design process in cardboard, students will explore basic mechanical principals and learn how to make cams, levers, and other mechanical elements. Then, in wood, students will build with a basic cabinet and realize their designs by cutting, drilling and shaping mechanical components, then carving a figure/animal/creature in basswood that delights friends and family by coming to life when the crank is turned.
- Dates: Monday, June 3 through Friday, June 7, 2024
- Cost: $700 (Lunch provided)
- Materials Fee: $75
- Class Size: Limited to 4 Students
- Location: The Red Barn Studio is nestled in a quiet country location on 40 acres, seven miles north of Brule, Wisconsin, and a ten-minute walk to the Brule River.
- Lodging: There are many options for lodging nearby, including: AirBNB, camping, and hotel/motels in Brule, Port Wing and Iron River.