Published: April 10, 2008 11:40 am            

Art sold by weight?

• 2,000 pounds of iron will become artwork Saturday

Saturday will serve as a day to bring out the artist in everyone.

Artist Matt Crane, graduate of Kansas City Art Institute and owner of SilverCrane Studios, a custom metals fabrication business that creates custom architectural metalwork and sculpture, will oversee 2,000 pounds of iron being turned into art. Any and all are invited to participate as molds will be on sale.

Saturday’s event will take place at the Oklahoma State University Visual Arts Annex. Crane will use a cupola furnace to heat raw and recycled materials to pour in the molds. The furnace preparation will begin at 9 a.m. and depending on the weather, iron pouring will start at 1 p.m.

“We are going to involve everyone who wants to be involved,” said Adam Labe, assistant art professor who is coordinating Crane’s visit. “It’s exotic. It’s unique.”

At the Saturday workshop, participants may observe sand mold and iron preparation, furnace operation and molten iron pouring, under the supervision of Crane. Many students’ molds, as well as Crane’s molds, will be poured, said Labe.

Also, on Friday, Crane will give a lecture about life as a studio artist at 3 p.m. at the Bartlett Center for the Visual Arts.

“Matt is dynamic in his ability to communicate and show people the nuts and bolts of his work,” Labe said.

The use of the furnace, which is 12 inches in diameter and four feet tall, will serve as a look into the past. However, cast iron is a bit more contemporary.

“Cast iron is nothing like bronze, which has a big culture and history,” Labe said.

“It is a newer medium in the art world and because of its association with industry and the industrial revolution it has an inherent, powerful connection to humanity when used for art.”

        

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