Careers at Kalispell Art Foundry

Turn Art Into Bronze

Build a career where art, craftsmanship, metalwork, and creativity come together. Kalispell Art Foundry offers opportunities to work alongside a skilled team producing fine art bronze sculptures for artists and clients throughout the United States and Canada.

No prior foundry experience is needed for many positions. We provide hands-on, on-the-job training for individuals who are dependable, willing to learn, and interested in developing a unique skilled trade.

Working in an art foundry is an opportunity to learn the complete process of transforming an artist's original sculpture into bronze. Team members can develop hands-on skills in wax work, ceramic shell investing, bronze casting, welding, metal chasing, finishing, and patina.

No Experience? We’ll Train You.

You don't need to arrive knowing how to cast bronze. Our experienced team provides on-the-job training, giving you the opportunity to learn specialized skills while working on real projects.

Depending on your interests, abilities, and position, you may have opportunities to learn multiple areas of the foundry. We value reliability, attention to detail, a strong work ethic, creativity, teamwork, and a willingness to learn.

For someone interested in art, welding, fabrication, sculpture, manufacturing, or working with their hands, a position at Kalispell Art Foundry can be an opportunity to develop skills that are difficult to learn anywhere else.

Learn the Art of Bronze Casting

Our team works throughout the traditional lost-wax bronze casting process. Employees may learn wax chasing and assembly, gating, ceramic shell investing, bronze pouring, welding, metal chasing, grinding and finishing, patina, and final sculpture assembly.

You will work alongside experienced craftspeople who can teach you not only how each process is performed, but how each stage affects the quality of the finished bronze.

Welding & Metal Chasing

Learn the craftsmanship required to transform individual bronze castings into a seamless finished sculpture. Our metal department performs welding, fitting, grinding, chasing, texturing, fabrication, and surface finishing to recreate the details of the artist's original work.

Prior welding or fabrication experience can be valuable, but training may be provided for the right candidate. This work combines technical metalworking skills with an artistic eye, and every sculpture presents a different challenge.

Wax Chasing & Investing

Wax work is an important part of producing a high-quality bronze. Learn how to repair, assemble, chase, gate, and prepare wax patterns before they move into ceramic shell.

You can also learn the investing process, where wax assemblies are repeatedly coated to create the ceramic shells used during bronze casting. These positions provide an excellent introduction to the lost-wax process and an opportunity to understand how a sculpture progresses through the foundry.

Bronze Pouring

Experience one of the most exciting stages of the process—casting molten bronze. Team members can learn the preparation, equipment, procedures, communication, and teamwork involved in safely pouring bronze into ceramic molds.

Bronze pouring is a coordinated team effort, and employees learn how preparation and attention to detail contribute to a successful casting.

Patina & Color Theory

Learn how chemistry and artistry come together to create the final color of a bronze sculpture. Our patina department uses heat, chemicals, layering techniques, and color theory to produce everything from traditional browns and blacks to greens, blues, warm tones, and contemporary finishes.

Patina work provides an opportunity to develop an understanding of color, surface, texture, chemistry, and artistic finishing while helping create the final appearance envisioned by the artist.

Work Surrounded by Art

At Kalispell Art Foundry, your workplace is filled with exceptional sculpture and creative projects. One day you may be working on a small tabletop bronze and another on a life-size animal, figurative sculpture, public monument, or large-scale installation.

You'll have the opportunity to see artwork progress from wax to finished bronze and understand the craftsmanship behind sculptures that may eventually be displayed in homes, galleries, businesses, parks, museums, and public spaces.

Build a Skilled Trade

A foundry career can provide much more than experience in one department. As your skills develop, there may be opportunities to become cross-trained in multiple areas of the bronze casting process, giving you a broader understanding of sculpture production and a valuable combination of artistic and technical abilities.

No prior foundry experience is required for many opportunities. What matters most is your willingness to learn, work safely, pay attention to detail, and contribute as part of a team.

Join Our Team

If you enjoy working with your hands, creating things, learning new skills, welding and metalwork, sculpture, art, craftsmanship, or manufacturing, we would like to hear from you.

Come learn a specialized trade, work alongside experienced craftspeople, and become part of the process that turns an artist's vision into bronze.

Contact Kalispell Art Foundry to learn about current employment opportunities and on-the-job training positions.