From October 6th to 9th 2018 Six Mile SculptureWorks, an Alfresco Production will be hosting the 6th Western Cast Iron Art Alliance’s Biannual Conference on Cast Iron Art in Granite City IL.  The Western Cast Iron Art Alliance consists of iron casting artists located primarily in western states formed to educate, demonstrate and exhibit cast iron art across the region. This group of sculptors creatively focuses on a variety of art forms ranging from installation to performance works utilizing cast iron as their vocabulary. This organization and conference are coming to Granite City due largely to the unique relationships between Art and Industry in the region.  The industrial heritage of creativity, innovation, and commitment to community from companies like ASF/Keystone Amsted Rail, Suncoke Energy, and America’s Central Port makes this conference possible.  Partnerships between arts organizations like Alfresco Productions, Six Mile SculptureWorks and G-CADD work together to expand opportunities for artists locally, regionally, and internationally.  Six Mile SculptureWorks history of successful activity partnering with the steel industry to make Granite City “A Place Where Art and Industry Meet” is the reason the WCIAA has chosen to offer this conference here. 

As part of the conference there will be Exhibitions of Art work at G-CADD and local galleries.  This work will creatively feature Cast Iron as material, process, or mindset.  There will be Iron Casting Performances and Demonstrations open to the general public throughout the conference at locations along 19th street.  Additionally, registered conference participants will be able to take workshops where they learn about and produce molds to cast iron into during conference production pours.  They will be able to attend Panel Conversations at the Granite City Cinema that address technical and idealogical issues of using cast iron and associated industrial materials.  They will be able to attend featured events and Keynote Speakers at the Alfresco Art Center.  In hosting this, western based conference we are building on the tradition of iron casting as an art form in this region, formalizing the existing “underground” art form and process, and paying tribute to an even older history of technology and foundry presence within the region. The conference is conceived to communicate, educate and celebrate while facilitating and inspiring art lovers to gain a better understanding and appreciation of cast iron as a sculpture medium. It allows a symposium of focused discussion on equipment design, mold building, and the endless connected experiences that are shared when practitioners convene.  WCIAA seeks to link and celebrate the art and technology of casting iron.