Sloss Metal Arts
Sloss Metal Arts is a nationally-recognized arts program at Sloss Furnaces which promote iron-casting and related arts. It was created with funding from a 1977 bond issue which also provided the means to preserve the furnace site as a public museum.
Sloss Metal Arts hosts open studios and casting services, workshops and classes, houses resident artists and apprentices, and offers outreach demonstrations at schools, museums and community festivals. Artworks and souvenir castings are sold at the furnace gift shop and various art festivals. The program also accepts commissions for public art installations. The program's primary fund-raiser is the annual Stokin' the Fire BBQ Festival, held in August.
The Metal Arts program uses the casting shed at Sloss Furnace No. 1 for its foundry and fabrication shop, equipped with four coke-fired cupolas capable of delivering up to 1,000 pounds of molten iron per tap. Gas furnaces are in use for melting bronze and aluminum and kilns and other equipment are available for ceramic and bonded sand mould production and miscellaneous fabrication and woodworking. Artists in residence also use the Pyrometer House, Bathhouse, and a storage building as studio space.
In December 2011 the program's three full-time staff members were terminated as the Sloss Furnace Foundation's board sought to restructure the program with guest artists rather than resident workers. One of those staffers, Remy Hanemann, was later re-hired as furnace master, working with program director Heather Guy and assisted by blacksmith Lee McKee.
In 2019, the program cast the Alabama Bicentennial Children’s Bell that was designed as part of the Alabama Bicentennial celebration. Lindsey Christina was named the executive director of Sloss Metal Arts in 2021.
| Sloss Furnaces | |
|---|---|
| Events | Magic City Brewfest · Preserve Jazz Festival · Sloss Fright Furnace · Stokin' the Fire BBQ Festival |
| Exhibits | Engine No. 4018 · Sloss Quarters |
| Owners | Sloss Furnace Company · Sloss Iron & Steel Company · Sloss-Sheffield Steel & Iron Company · U.S. Pipe · Jim Walter Corporation |
| People | Joseph Johnston · Theophilus Jowers (The Ghost in Sloss Furnaces) · Hugh Morrow · James Sloss |
| Programs | Sloss Metal Arts · Sloss Performing Arts Program |
References
- Alabama Public Television (2009) Sloss: Industry to Art
- Simpson-Templin, Janet (December 22, 2011) "The future of metal arts at Sloss Furnace". Weld for Birmingham
- Simpson-Templin, Janet (February 9, 2012) "The new year reveals a revised structure in Sloss’ metal arts program." Weld for Birmingham
External links
- Metal Arts at slossfurnaces.com
- Sloss Metal Arts film at blip.tv