Visiting artists Virginia Elliot and Ian Skinner from Sloss Metal Arts and Furnace, Birmingham, AL, will be our visiting artists for the biennial running of the large iron cupola at USM. USM holds the distinction of having one of the largest university-run cupolas in the US. The last running of the furnace was in 2023, and it was a huge success bringing students, faculty and artist from as far aways as the Art Institute of Chicago, Auburn University and other schools in Geogia, Florida, Birmingham, Mobile, Louisiana and New Orleans, the Metal Museum in Tennessee, and Ole Miss.

Virginia and Ian will help run the furnace on Saturday, Nov. 22, but will also be at USM in the week before, mentor students, give a public lecture and help teach and direct students and guests in the building of large molds.

Scratch block sales to the public open at 9 a.m. on Saturday and continue until 1 p.m.. Scratch blocks are available for $20 each.

All are invited to purchase a scratch block to create a small relief sculpture that will be cast in iron during the event. Contact sculpture@usm.edu for more information. Hot metal will pour around 2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Made possible with generous support from Partners for the Arts.