Press
South Sound Magazine 2012
“Lost and Foundry, Historic Metal Art Alive in Tacoma” by Jill Sanford & photos by Jeff Hobson
SS_AugSept_2012 (click on underlined link to view article)
“Its Alive! Come See What Just Came Off The Studio Shelf!” by Katrina Toft
Tacoma, WA, November 3rd, 2010 —With the smell of melting wax, the sound of die grinders whirling away in the background, and the first coat of silicone rubber being mixed, Two Ravens Studio brings artists’ imaginations to life.
What sorts of sculptural creations are they assembling in their studio? Just about everything from aluminum men to resin babies come off their shelves. Be sure to visit for a tour of Two Raven’s facility, given on Saturday November 6th from 10am to 4:00pm at 2502 Commerce St, Tacoma WA 98402 as part of the City of Tacoma’s Art At Work 2010 Studio Tours.
Art At Work Month provides a unique opportunity to discover Tacoma’s arts community doing what they do best, making art on their own turf! During the month of November the public gets up close and personal by visiting with local artists and discovering more about various art making processes. Creating a mold to be used for casting a bronze sculpture is quite a process in itself and requires many steps, from designing the mold to creating a wax pattern. If you are curious about how this whole process evolves stop by Two Ravens Studio’s art foundry.
The owners, Michael Haney, Ed Kroupa and Katrina Toft have lots of experience answering questions about what they do. Their studio creates works of art for public display and private residences, in addition to custom architectural elements. Two Ravens Studio’s list of clients includes individual artists, corporations, and designers. Their studio offers traditional art foundry services, from mold making to metal work and casts in bronze, aluminum in addition to casting in resin. Works in progress will be available for viewing as well as an explanation of the lost wax process and silicone mold making. Don’t miss it! You never know what you’ll find on the shelf.
For more information concerning Two Ravens Studio Tours call 253-327-1730 or visit the Art At Work website.
“Three Ravens At Two Ravens” by Katrina Toft
Tacoma, WA, October 5th 2010 — “Raven loved to brag. He was always trying to make himself look big and important. His friends would laugh at his boasting. They would say “Ah, Raven, you are so full of hot air!” from the Tglingit story “Raven and the Whale.” In northwest cultural traditions, Raven is the teacher, the trickster, and the creator of new ways of being. He can bring the light and set loose the rivers, being the wise one. But often he can also be the creator of wisdom by showing the way to NOT behave.
You can hear more about Raven’s antics at the Arts Crush event Two Ravens Studio is hosting, “Three Ravens At Two Ravens,” led by master storyteller Rebecca Hom. She will share three Raven stories of Northwest origins in an evening to surprise, delight and engage listeners. The event will take place at 7:00 pm on Saturday October 23rd at Two Raven Studio’s art foundry at 2502 Commerce St, Tacoma WA 98402.
This seemingly random relationship between an art foundry and a storyteller extends beyond the Raven namesake. The performance represents just one of the many Arts Crush events scheduled throughout the Puget Sound region. Arts Crush is a month long festival which seeks to bring art venues to the public in unusual places. Rebecca Hom’s involvement reflects the diverse selection of artist taking part in the festival. Her Plenty Live! video was selected as a Storytelling World honoree in 2009. Hom has also been an award-winning member of Toastmasters, Alaska Press Women, and the Alaska State Historical Society. Her extensive travels over the past 20 years help her to collect unique stories, which educate and connect listeners to different cultures and traditions.
For more information concerning “Three Ravens At Two Ravens,” contact Two Ravens Studio at 253-327-1730 or the Arts Crush website.
“Re-Kindling The Fires Of Tacoma’s Art Foundry,” by Katrina Toft
Tacoma, WA, June 21st 2010 — Two Ravens Studio is firing up their furnace on Commerce St in downtown Tacoma in hopes of creating an art foundry renaissance. Their vision is to one day become a metal arts destination for sculptural fabrication and design. They are also hoping to mesh with the city’s desire for a revitalization of the Brewery District with an emphasis on the arts, community and new businesses.
Tacoma’s former art foundry, the Bronze Works closed last January and left many sculptural artists and those in need of art foundry services in Western Washington in a quandary. The Bronze Works had been the only professional foundry in the area, with the next closest foundries being in Eastern Washington or Oregon. Two Ravens Studio, created by former Bronze Works artisans, seeks to regain that position as a metal arts production hub for the Puget Sound area.
One of Two Ravens Studios latest projects involves a public art installation at Pike Place Market. The project is comprised of seven, two and a half foot, aluminum figures that walk up the walls towards a central globe at one of the markets rear entrances. Artist Dan Webb says,
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Two Ravens Studios on a number of projects, and in every case, their knowledge, skill, and professionalism allowed me to take my ideas further than I would have been able to go on my own. That is what good fabricators do after all, they allow the artist to imagine something beyond what they are able to do by themselves, and making those new found possibilities a reality. I’m really happy to have found such a good crew so near to where I live in Seattle. The idea of going hundreds, or even thousands of miles away does not appeal to me, as I still am very much a part of the process. I have really enjoyed my experiences with Two Ravens Studio, and look forward to working with them in the future.”
Two Ravens art studio occupies the old Waterhouse Motors building and offers traditional art foundry casting services, from mold making to metal finishing, as well as sculptural design assistance. With the challenge of renting commercial buildings today, their landlord Ed Davis, former owner of the Waterhouse Motors, is glad to see new life in his building. The owners of Two Ravens also hope to become a fixture in the local arts community and provide jobs to skilled laborers and craftsmen such as welders and metal finishers.
Michael Haney, Ed Kroupa and Katrina Toft are the founders and co-owners of Two Ravens Studio. They produce sculptures for clients working in stone, wood, clay and a variety of other mediums. Two Ravens Studio has already created original works of art for public displays and private residences as well as custom architectural features. Their list of clients includes individual artists, corporations, and designers. They cast in bronze, aluminum and resin. Two Ravens Studio is also skilled at creating aged or distressed finishes on a variety of metal surfaces. For more info contact Two Ravens Studio via email: info@2ravensstudio.com or by phone at 253-327-1730.
“Two Ravens Studio Announcement of Business Opening,” by Katrina Toft
Tacoma, WA, January 30th 2010 —The Bronze Works closing has created a dilemma for many sculptural artists and those in need of foundry services in the western Washington area. Two Ravens Studio, a Tacoma-based company created by former Bronze Works artisans, provides a solution by offering casting services, metal finishing, mold making and sculptural design assistance. For more information contact Two Ravens Studio via email info@tworavenstudio.comor by phone at 253-327-1730.