Cast + Pour
Neenah, WI
October 2019
Presented by Neenah Foundry, a one-night-only pop-up exhibit featuring unique manhole cover works of art transformed by local artists in downtown Neenah.
For this event, 20 artists were sent a composite replica of a blank Neenah Foundry utility cover.
Each artist had 3 weeks to design, produce, and deliver their work of art. Some artists painted on the cover and some used it to create another functional object.
My concept was to make the cover look like a slice of a tree trunk paying homage to the paper mills and the famous elm tree. I carved tree rings around the middle and jagged edges to represent bark around the edges. The entire cover was carved in some manner to give it an organic look.
At that point, I made a series of prints from the custom-designed cover before applying a few coats of brown spray paint. Lastly, I used gold leaf to paint the letters and graphics on the cover.
The final piece was on display for the night before my sponsor took it home.
The event also included an exclusive installation of original prints from Seattle, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville, Chicago, and Neenah
