Silversmithing photo by Tara Burns

WBCA In the News

Iron pour heats up Art Walk

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

By Kristine Goodrich

The members of the Foundry Education and Fine Arts nonprofit organization joke that they have the "FeVER."

"The 'Fe' is the symbol for Iron," explained member Kelly Ludeking of Stillwater. "The 'fever' is because it's our own little sickness. We do it all for no pay, just because we love it."

The organization promotes the age-old art of metal casting, primarily through bringing iron pours to communities across the Midwest. Ludeking and many of the organization's dozen or so members are holding an iron pour in collaboration with the White Bear Center for the Arts during the annual Art Walk Oct. 1 and 2.

"(Metal casting) has been around for thousands of years," Ludeking said. "There's something so primitive about it. It draws people like moths to a flame."

But only a few schools in the country teach the craft and it requires too much manpower for individuals to practice it on their own, so most people have never experienced the art, he said.

"We just want to bring awareness of the art form and give people an experience they've never had before," Ludeking said.

The group melts recycled radiator parts in a homemade stove, which reaches up 2,600 degrees. The liquefied, glowing orange metal is streamed out of a spigot in the stove into giant ladles and poured over carved sand blocks, producing an iron-cast piece of art after it is cooled.

"There's just something so amazing about taking a solid chunk of iron and turning it into a molten mass in just a matter of minutes," Ludeking said.

Community members can purchase a sand block and participate in a two-week carving workshop prior to the event. It's an ideal community event, Ludeking said, because it's an art people of all ages and backgrounds can do.

"It brings together all different kinds of people," he said. "They all seem to be enjoying it just as much as the person next to them is."

Ludeking promised the iron pour will be a worthy event for spectators as well. The highlight is the "thunder box," he said. When the iron is poured into a wood box, flames shoot several feet in the air.

"You'll be oohing and aahing the whole time," he said. "The whole process is such an incredible visual spectacle."

Kristine Goodrich can be reached at 651-407-1233 or vadnaisheightspress@shertel.net.

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