Keystone Once Again Involved in Arts on Fire Festival

05/26/2011

La Plume – A group of local high school students will have the opportunity to experience pouring hot molten iron into molds they have created, just as the workers did generations ago at the historic Scranton Iron Furnaces.

The students, participants in the Keystone College Iron Works and Art Engage Program, will create their own iron designs during the second annual Arts on Fire Festival June 3-4 at the Scranton Iron Furnaces, 159 Cedar Ave.  They began their training earlier this month by participating in several iron pour workshops at the Keystone College art studios.   

 “We’re looking forward to a wonderful weekend celebration as the entire community celebrates Scranton’s industrial history,” said Keystone College art instructor   Nikki Moser. “The festival will be especially memorable for the local students participating in the historic iron pours.”

Festivities for the weekend begin Friday, June 3 from 6-8 p.m. at the Iron Furnaces and the Afa Gallery in downtown Scranton. Afa will open its exhibition of cast and forged iron, featuring works by Keystone faculty members Nikki Moser and Cliff Prokop and Keystone 2009 graduate Jim Gallagher.

Also on June 3, the “Fire at the Furnace” fundraising event will take from 8 -11 p.m. with proceeds benefiting the Iron Furnaces and The Anthracite Heritage Museum.  There will be a professional iron pour demonstration by Vaughn Randall, a faculty member at State University of New York at Cortland and curator of the Afa exhibition.  There will also be a variety of music, food, and beverages.  

The Arts on Fire festival continues at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 4 at the Iron Furnaces.  In addition to regularly scheduled iron pours, there will be entertainment and art exhibits lasting throughout the day. For more information on the iron pour event, visit the Arts on Fire Festival web site.

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