IYRS Mastering the Craft Series: IYRS School of Composites Technology

IYRS reprises its popular summer series, Mastering the Craft, with a focus on Making with Modern Materials in 2014. According to IYRS President Terry Nathan, “We see modern materials informing design thinking in a broad range of our economy, including wind energy, medical technologies, aerospace, automotive, boats, and now increasingly both residential and commercial construction. Some of this work is extraordinarily technical and very much craft-oriented” The event series offers a unique window into understanding a modern face to craftsmanship by engaging master makers, builders, and companies in the local area who work with composite materials.

IYRS School of Composites Technology is sponsored in part by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Demand for lighter, stronger building materials has never been greater. Nor is the demand for people who understand how to work with them. The Composites Technology program has four cornerstones: Composites Fundamentals, Composites Manufacturing Methods, Composites Tooling Development, and Composites Repair and Refinishing. Students learn skills such as vacuum infusion processing, advanced molding, CAD/CAM operations, robotic CNC plug building, repair practices, and more. During the 6-month program, students prepare to take several ACMA certification exams – the gold standard of composites credentials. www.iyrs.edu 

The series will culminate on Friday, August 15th with an engaging roundtable discussion for the larger public audience. The series participants will be joined by special guest Ping Fu, 3D printing entrepreneur, for a conversation moderated by Richard Saul Wurman -- American architect and graphic designer who has written over 80 books and founded the TED conference. Event sponsor Vintry Fine Wines, one of New York’s most exclusive wine merchants will conduct a wine tasting and offer light fare following the discussion. Tickets for the roundtable, which cost $25 each, can be purchased in advance.

Dates are subject to change. For more information or to reserve your tour ticket, please contact Loriana De Crescenzo, Director of Philanthropy, at ldecrescenzo@iyrs.edu or 401-848-5777 x 204.

There is a renewed and growing discussion in America about the importance of craftsmanship in both our culture and economy. As a school whose mission is to teach craft—irrespective of the material—and celebrate its place in our history, IYRS is uniquely qualified to be part of this dialogue. As part of our broadening involvement in the conversation, IYRS initiated the Mastering the Craft series in 2013 with visits to the local studios of six masters, including a stone carver, sculptor, jeweler, photographer, woodworker, and bow-maker. The summer series concluded with an extraordinary roundtable discussion of these artists and craftspeople, moderated by Mr. Wurman last summer. Video of that event can be found on the IYRS YouTube channel.