Welding Sculptures

Learn everything there is to know about welded steel sculpture in a technical, historic and aesthetic sense. Lisa Jones instructs you in the safe use of oxy acetylene, arc (manual metal arc) and MIG (metal inert gas) welding techniques, and demonstrates complex methods for joining, cutting, shaping, grinding and bending steel to produce successful sculptures.

Note: The course fee for welding reflects the limited number of students permitted due to safety considerations and the extended hours of this course.

* Welding Sculptures is suitable for students aged 18 years and over.

* What to bring? Please refer to the list of required materials in the Art Materials field below.

Lisa Jones is an artist and educator. She has exhibited nationally and internationally in institutional spaces, artist-run-initiatives and commercial galleries. Her work is in the collection of Artbank and private collections in Australia and Britain. She has been a finalist in ABN AMRO Emerging Artist Award, Woollahra Small Sculpture and is a recipient of an Emerging Artist New Works Grant from the Australia Council for the Arts. She is a sessional lecturer at the National Art School in the drawing department and has taught metal sculpture classes in the Eveleigh workshop, Morley College, London, Brookvale TAFE and Artist in Residence Canterbury University, Christchurch. She holds an MFA from Sydney College of the Arts and an MVA from University of Newcastle upon Tyne UK.

Students must supply their own art materials, please refer to the list below.

Mild steel (not galvanised or stainless steel) 

Bring an assortment of pieces of mild steel for making your sculptures. Mild steel is the most common metal around us and is the kind that rusts easily if left exposed to the weather. You will be working with mild steel only and need to bring in an assortment of pieces with you. The sculpture department has a small supply of mild steel for demonstration. 

You can find off-cuts and refuse from the engineering, manufacturing and building industries. It is available from smaller scrap metal yards, industrial bins (with permission) and rural properties. Machine or car parts containing grease or plastic and heavily painted pieces give off toxic fumes when burnt so are best avoided. 

Other materials 

• A4 sketchbook or visual diary and drawing media such as pencils/pens (optional)
• Riggers Gloves are compulsory  

Students must purchase their own gloves for this course. They are between $10-15 a pair and can be found at hardware stores. Here is a link to Bunnings range of gloves, or Weld Guard Premium Welding Gauntlet, $16.00 from BOC. 

The Sculpture Department will provide basic personal protection such as earplugs or muffs, helmets and face guards. Your lecturer will discuss the specific Work Health & Safety (WHS) obligations of welding in the first class. 

All students are required to wear protective clothing and footwear: 

• Long sleeve cotton shirt (no tears or open neck) 
• Long pants - denim jeans are ideal (no tears or holes) 
• No synthetic clothing 
• Covered leather shoes - boots are ideal