By Anthony Parsons, Alvernia University Community News Lab
Pictured above: A live demonstration of Iron Pouring outside of GoggleWorks. Photo courtesy of GoggleWorks Center for the Arts
The Iron Pour + Fire Arts Festival at GoggleWorks Center for the Arts has become an anticipated annual event in downtown Reading, and this year it will take place on Saturday, April 25, from 3-9 p.m. Reimagined for the GoggleWorks’ 20th anniversary year, this exciting, family-friendly event invites attendees to experience first-hand some of the most intriguing forms of creativity using fire and heat.
The event will include a Fire Arts section with live demonstrations of glassblowing, metal casting, and ceramics firing, along with a blacksmithing section by the Pennsylvania Artists’ Blacksmith Association. The event also includes hands-on workshops along with food and music. Later in the evening, they will display all the fire art made during the day and light up the area for all to see and enjoy. The event is free to attend, but registration and payment are required for some workshops.
“The main focus of the event is the iron pour itself that happens at the end of the day,” said Natalie Fenner, Signature Events Manager at GoggleWorks. “We work closely with Pour Master, Brian Glaze, who is a Sculpture Professor at Albright College on the event as well.”
The Iron Pour section includes a glassblowing workshop where visitors will learn how to cut glass and melt it to form their own artistic vision. An instructor will walk participants through the techniques required to make their own glass sculpture.
“In previous years, I have seen a lot of iron casting and even saw someone make GoggleWorks medallions. The visual pour itself is what catches people’s eye,” Fenner said. “I personally recommend doing the scratch molds, not many places offer that kind of experience, so it’s a very unique opportunity for people to check out,” Fenner said. Scratch molds are designs carved in blocks of sand that then are used as forms for poured molten metal.
There will also be a session dedicated to Light Photography, created by manipulating a camera’s shutter speed and the use of certain light sources like flashlights and glowsticks. By moving around the light while the camera shutter speed goes off, you can create a painting effect with your light in the photo.
“GoggleWorks provides many options for people to express and explore art. It also has easy-to-access areas, as entering and checking out the different art galleries is free,” Fenner said.
GoggleWorks Center of the Arts is located at 201 Washington St. in Reading, PA, and is a creative center for artists, the community, and youth. Open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day for the public to visit and explore galleries, programs, a gift shop, and more. Daily admission and parking are free. Learn more at goggleworks.org.
Link to the event: goggleworks.org/event/iron-pour-fire-arts-festival
