New Mexico State University art students are transforming ideas into public artwork through a collaborative course with the City of Las Cruces, blending traditional techniques of metal casting with community engagement.
The course is co-taught by NMSU assistant art professor Carissa Samaniego and NMSU associate art professor Motoko Furuhashi.
The ultimate result will be a permanent bronze installation with components reflecting the region’s flora and geography. These pieces will be installed on the north concrete wall of the Las Cruces Convention Center beginning on April 29.
"This class is a powerful example of how students can apply their technical skills to serve the community and gain real-world experience in public art," Professor Furuhashi said.
Throughout the spring semester, undergraduate and graduate students have explored historical and contemporary metal casting methods while envisioning creative design components for the installation. The project is funded and approved by the City of Las Cruces Public Art Committee and features design elements inspired by the natural landscapes of southern New Mexico.
To inform their designs, students conducted field research by visiting the Chile Pepper Institute, the NMSU Herbarium and the Fabian Garcia Science Center. Their sketches and ideas were then translated into clay models and sand molds for casting.
As part of the hands-on learning process, students recently observed a live metal casting demonstration on April 2, where molten bronze was poured into sand molds to create sculptural and jewelry-scale works. While students did not pour the metal themselves, the demonstration provided an important context for understanding scale and technique.
“I’ve done smaller-scale casting in the past but seeing how large casts are used to create jewelry was really interesting,” said Gisselle Gomez, a third-year student from Rio Rancho. “It showed me how the casting process can be applied to my own work in new ways.”
“Watching the metal pour into the molds was fascinating,” said Candace Deskin, a senior from Las Cruces. “It’s a different world from jewelry casting, but it’s amazing how the same principles can be used to create both sculptures and jewelry pieces.”
“Even though we’re not directly working with the metal, seeing how the process works will definitely help me in the future,” said Matthew Cota, a senior. “It shows me how casting can be scaled up or down, depending on what you're making. Understanding this can help me when I create my own pieces in the future.”
“As someone who focuses on metal work, I’ve always wanted to learn more about casting,” said Kayla Blundell, a senior. “This was a great chance to see the techniques in action and visualize how I could apply them to my own practice.”
Elham Sabri, a graduate student, said the course opened new possibilities for her as a mixed-media artist. “Seeing how metal casting is done on a larger scale really broadened my understanding,” Sabri said. “It’s inspiring to think about how I might incorporate this technique into my own work.”
Through their collaboration with city officials and hands-on experience in casting, the students are contributing a lasting piece of public art to the Las Cruces community shaped by their research, creativity and craft.
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CUTLINE: NMSU students and instructors work to carefully pour molten metal into sand molds at a recent metal casting demonstration. The process is part of the studio arts program's exploration of large-scale casting techniques for creating traditional New Mexican jewelry and sculptures. (NMSU photo by Scott Hause)
CUTLINE: NMSU assistant professor Carissa Samaniego sands down a metal casting in a demonstration for her and Motoko Furuhashi’s class April 2. (NMSU photo by Scott Hause)
CUTLINE: NMSU assistant professor Carissa Samaniego displaying the metal casting she completed during a recent class demonstration on metal casting at NMSU. (NMSU photo by Scott Hause)
CUTLINE: NMSU associate professor Motoko Furuhashi and assistant professor Carissa Samaniego’s class following the metal casting demonstration. (NMSU photo by Scott Hause)