In the conception of Refractory, texture exploration and color theory were the foundation. Minerals, colors of horse hair, aged metal patinas, nature’s remnants and oddities were gathered.

This array of pigment, tone and nuance is the platform for our foray into curating a fully considered offering of cast glass and solid wood hues, bronze patinas, and cast mineral compositions.

Cast Bronze

The sculptural bronze cast in Refractory’s foundry, either by lost-wax or sand-mould processes, is finished by hand in traditional methods. The studio’s patterns and moulds create forms and textures which are patinated in a carefully considered palette fundamental to the studio’s ethos. Custom hues and specialty patination available by request.

Muslin +
Muslin is a process in which layers of white are bound with flame to the bronze surface.

Polished +
Polished bronze is the casting itself without patination and with a mirror polishing process. The result of the polishing against textures and motifs allows for contrast and graphic definition.

Natural +
Natural is a subtle bronze patination that renders warmth and allows casting evidence to be most expressive.

Silver Dollar +
Silver Dollar is a patination process utilizing silver nitrate and flame. Depending on the form and casting patterns, this silvering process creates opportunity for natural bronze highlights and tonal play.

Cinder +
Cinder is an approach in patination that layers silver nitrate with classic monumental tones. The result is a deep smoky hue with cooler notes.

Leather +
Leather is a dynamic patina that sits in a tonally medium ground, exuding the character of a worn saddle.

Otter +
Otter gives a dark monumental patination that is rich, classic, and neutral.

Jet Black +
Jet Black is a carefully layered patination that results in a deep true black that is neither cool nor warm.

Cast Glass

Cast glass produced in Refractory’s atelier, by kiln or direct-casting processes, is expertly tooled and artisanally finished. The shades and hues here represent the studio’s foundational tones in transparent form. It is important to note that singular glass colors deepen and concentrate with thickness of form. Cast glass textures may be a result of the casting process, etched, and/or hand-polished.

Clear +
Crystal clear glass without cool hues of iron content or other tonality. Pure and classic, as well as dynamic via options for texture and etching versus hand-polishing.

Bluff +
Warm sand tone with a touch of copper tint.

Shale +
Cool grey tone with blue subtleties.

Suede +
Taupe hue with warm grey tonality.

Mink +
Deep olive-brown.

Cast Mineral

Cast Mineral is a composite of granularized minerals and derivatives, such as sand blends, glass, and quartz as well as pigments and spices. Developed and produced at Refractory’s workshop as both a standalone and complementary material to cast bronze, glass, and wood, it is a curated range of mixtures and tonalities. By virtue of the hand-blended, hand-pressed process, each piece is unique, celebrating a wide range of visual surface variation.

Andalusian +
Tones of putty and smoke blended with subtle peach and pale gold.

Moonscape +
True neutral tones of stone and ash.

Savanna +
Golden grassland composite.

Trailhead +
Volcanic, ashen composite with tones of graphite and char.

Cimmerian +
Seeing in the dark.

Wood

Refractory’s wood offering ranges from Salt Flat to Raven in Ash, and a broad palette in between in Oak and Walnut. Most works are created from solid wood, while other pieces, at times with bronze inlays, incorporate careful veneer work.

Ash | Salt Flat +
White tonality, lightly brushed with natural undertones.

Oak | Caliche +
Natural white oak tone, brushed and cerused with white pigment.

Oak | Trail +
Natural white oak tone, brushed without ceruse.

Walnut | Heron +
Light, cool grey driftwood tones, lightly brushed with a subtle dark grey ceruse.

Oak | Matchstick +
Natural, sand-tone white oak, brushed with light gray ceruse.

Oak | Mustang +
Saddle-tone white oak, brushed and cerused with a warm, eggshell toned pigment.

Walnut | Saddle +
Natural walnut tones, lightly brushed and cerused with eggshell toned pigment.

Walnut | Bison +
Subtle medium-tone natural walnut.

Walnut | Sable +
Cognac and chocolate tones, lightly brushed and cerused with eggshell toned pigment.

Oak | Brindle +
Dynamic dark and warm white oak, brushed and cerused with eggshell toned pigment.

Oak | Nocturne +
Dark, cool espresso-tone white oak, brushed and cerused with eggshell toned pigment.

Walnut | Clove +
Dark tobacco tones, lightly brushed and cerused with eggshell toned pigment.

Walnut | Cavern +
A neutral deep black tint, lightly brushed.

Ash | Raven +
True neutral black tone, lightly brushed.

Milled Bronze

Solid, precision milled bronze alloy.

Golden +
Light, warm, natural bronze tone.

Silvered +
Medium, silver toned bronze.

Statuary +
Warm, dark toned milled bronze.

Muslin

Muslin is a process in which layers of white are bound with flame to the bronze surface.
Polished

Polished bronze is the casting itself without patination and with a mirror polishing process. The result of the polishing against textures and motifs allows for contrast and graphic definition.
Natural

Natural is a subtle bronze patination that renders warmth and allows casting evidence to be most expressive.
Silver Dollar

Silver Dollar is a patination process utilizing silver nitrate and flame. Depending on the form and casting patterns, this silvering process creates opportunity for natural bronze highlights and tonal play.
Cinder

Cinder is an approach in patination that layers silver nitrate with classic monumental tones. The result is a deep smoky hue with cooler notes.
Leather

Leather is a dynamic patina that sits in a tonally medium ground, exuding the character of a worn saddle.
Otter

Otter gives a dark monumental patination that is rich, classic, and neutral.
Jet Black

Jet Black is a carefully layered patination that results in a deep true black that is neither cool nor warm.
Clear

Crystal clear glass without cool hues of iron content or other tonality. Pure and classic, as well as dynamic via options for texture and etching versus hand-polishing.
Bluff

Warm sand tone with a touch of copper tint.
Shale

Cool grey tone with blue subtleties.
Suede

Taupe hue with warm grey tonality.
Mink

Deep olive-brown.
Andalusian

Tones of putty and smoke blended with subtle peach and pale gold.
Moonscape

True neutral tones of stone and ash.
Savanna

Golden grassland composite.
Trailhead

Volcanic, ashen composite with tones of graphite and char.
Cimmerian

Seeing in the dark.
Ash | Salt Flat

White tonality, lightly brushed with natural undertones.
Oak | Caliche

Natural white oak tone, brushed and cerused with white pigment.
Oak | Trail

Natural white oak tone, brushed without ceruse.
Walnut | Heron

Light, cool grey driftwood tones, lightly brushed with a subtle dark grey ceruse.
Oak | Matchstick

Natural, sand-tone white oak, brushed with light gray ceruse.
Oak | Mustang

Saddle-tone white oak, brushed and cerused with a warm, eggshell toned pigment.
Walnut | Saddle

Natural walnut tones, lightly brushed and cerused with eggshell toned pigment.
Walnut | Bison

Subtle medium-tone natural walnut.
Walnut | Sable

Cognac and chocolate tones, lightly brushed and cerused with eggshell toned pigment.
Oak | Brindle

Dynamic dark and warm white oak, brushed and cerused with eggshell toned pigment.
Oak | Nocturne

Dark, cool espresso-tone white oak, brushed and cerused with eggshell toned pigment.
Walnut | Clove

Dark tobacco tones, lightly brushed and cerused with eggshell toned pigment.
Walnut | Cavern

A neutral deep black tint, lightly brushed.
Ash | Raven

True neutral black tone, lightly brushed.
Golden

Light, warm, natural bronze tone.
Silvered

Medium, silver toned bronze.
Statuary

Warm, dark toned milled bronze.

Materials

Muslin

Polished

Natural

Silver Dollar

Cinder

Leather

Otter

Jet Black

Clear

Bluff

Shale

Suede

Mink

Andalusian

Moonscape

Savanna

Trailhead

Cimmerian

Ash | Salt Flat

Oak | Caliche

Oak | Trail

Walnut | Heron

Oak | Matchstick

Oak | Mustang

Walnut | Saddle

Walnut | Bison

Walnut | Sable

Oak | Brindle

Oak | Nocturne

Walnut | Clove

Walnut | Cavern

Ash | Raven

Golden

Silvered

Statuary