From Nature to Wearable Art: The Tufa Sand Casting Process
![Blocks of tufa stone, ready for carving. Photo courtesy Thunderbird Supply Company, Gallup, N.M.](https://gdb.voanews.com/01000000-0aff-0242-985d-08db4034ab7f_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Blocks of tufa stone, ready for carving. Photo courtesy Thunderbird Supply Company, Gallup, N.M.
![The artist draws a design onto a block of tufa, a porous volcanic stone found in New Mexico and Arizona. This and the following photos, courtesy Perry Null Trading Company, Gallup, N.M.](https://gdb.voanews.com/01000000-0a00-0242-5a7b-08db3eaa7d41_w1024_q10_s.jpeg)
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The artist draws a design onto a block of tufa, a porous volcanic stone found in New Mexico and Arizona. This and the following photos, courtesy Perry Null Trading Company, Gallup, N.M.
![The artist carves the design into the stone, adding a channel through which molten silver will later be poured.](https://gdb.voanews.com/01000000-0aff-0242-157b-08db3eaacc4b_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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The artist carves the design into the stone, adding a channel through which molten silver will later be poured.
![The artist uses a torch to carburize the stone. A coating of carbon ensures that the silver will not stick to the mold.](https://gdb.voanews.com/01000000-0aff-0242-cb2a-08db3eaae8e1_w1024_q10_s.jpeg)
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The artist uses a torch to carburize the stone. A coating of carbon ensures that the silver will not stick to the mold.