Six UT students have converted more than 3,000 pounds of scrap metal provided by steel recycler Gerdau into works of art.
The sculptures were unveiled this week and are on display at the historic Ivan Racheff House in Northwest Knoxville. The exhibition, which celebrates National Recycling Month, is a partnership between Gerdau and Dogwood Arts.
Gerdau’s Knoxville steel mill opened its scrap yard March 8 to six art students—Battle Glascock, Cameron Kite, Rose McNabb, Lauren Sanders, Danielle Sumler, and Veronica Castle—and John Powers, assistant professor of sculpture, so they could select pieces of scrap metal to be used in their works of art.
Sanders
“This has been a wonderful experience from top to bottom,” Powers said. “The students have really enjoyed the opportunity, and Gerdau has been very accommodating. We hope to have the opportunity to do this again.”
This marks the fourth year that Gerdau has opened its scrap yard to area artists in partnership with Dogwood Arts and in celebration of National Recycling Month.
In 2013, artists Preston Farabow of Aespyre, Zophia Kneiss of Burning Art, and Matt Salley and Chris Szaton of Marble City Glassworks created a tree sculpture from discarded steel and new glass to thank Gerdau for its support of their work. The tree is now on permanent display at Gerdau.