April 7, 2014

By Kristie Weiss

The iron pour, a decade-long tradition on campus, was held at the Center of the Arts this past Saturday, April 26.

Teresa Lind, who teaches the sculpture class at UW-Whitewater, puts on this event as a fundraiser to help acquire new tools and other materials for the lab.  She also brings in visiting artists, such as Andy Light, who she asked to run the iron pour this year.

Light was involved in a series of events on campus, starting from Thursday, April 24, to the iron pour on Saturday.  On Thursday, starting at 8 a.m., he gave a presentation followed by a discussion with advanced sculptors for grad students on becoming a professional artist and ending with a demonstration on metal joining.

Friday, April 25, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., he demonstrated how to make molds using bonded sand.

To make the iron pour successful, they get a specific type of coal for the fuel, iron for melting and other materials such as clay, which stops the flow of the iron from the furnace when the ladle is full.

“We need an experienced crew to help out, so local metal sculptors are informed of the event and invited to participate and help out with the keeping everyone safe,” Lind said.

Metal donations also are made to the students by the local scrap yards, Loeb-Lohrman and Keinbaum.

Art students who focus on sculpture make the molds for the iron cast.  Lind said all of the sculpture students have a piece in the pour.

Kristin Bates, a sculpture three student, was one of Lind’s students present at the iron pour.

“I think its cool and fun, and I want to see my piece once it cools,” Bates said.

Sculpture students are not the only ones who are allowed to participate in the iron pour.  All UW-W students and people of the community are welcome, not to only watch the event, but create their own iron tile.

Lind said sculptors from around the state come in to help and get molds cast as well.

The iron pour event has been going on for the past 10 to 15 years and is planning on being held every semester.