Iron pour begins

With the pouring of the first batch of red-hot molten iron into molds about 4:30 p.m. Friday, the 21st annual Iron Pour at Mesalands Community College began in earnest.

Some of the week had been devoted to art exhibitions, a meet-the-artists gala and assorted other events for more than 30 artists who'd arrived from all over the U.S. and a few foreign countries. But much of the time was spent on preparations for the actual pouring of iron - breaking cast iron into manageable pieces, making sand for molds and making repairs and adjustments to the furnaces.

Amid the event's scruffy, blue-collar work, the Iron Pour had acquired a degree of formality and traditions over the years. About 4 1/2 hours before iron was poured, the local Knights of Columbus presented a color guard in front of one of the furnaces during the opening ceremony, and a local woman sang the national anthem.

Organizers presented the "sacrificial" marshmallow Peeps to Iron Pour participants and spectators, many whom lined them up around the furnaces. Two more Peeps were let loose to the skies, tied to helium balloons.

Next, fine-arts faculty members Yousif Del Valle and Joel Kiser urged everyone go through a gauntlet of smoke from sage smudge sticks for good luck. Finally, Iron Pour creator D'Jean Jawrunner, professor emeritus at Mesalands, passed the smudge sticks around the furnaces themselves before organizers fired them up.

The pouring of iron Friday had run a few hours behind because of extremely windy weather Wednesday and the fact organizers were training so many new participants, said Kimberly Hanna, director of public relations at the college.

To first-time observers, the Iron Pour may look disorganized. But when dealing with molten metal, the event can't afford disorganization, Jawrunner said.

"After you watch us for a while, you realize how truly planned out it is," she said. "You'll hear a lot of shouting going on so people know where they're needed. The more you watch it, the more you realize the finesse that takes place."

The Iron Pour continues to draw artists from all over the country because they can avail themselves to casting facilities that don't exist in their area.

Anthony Guntrin of Denver, a sixth-year veteran of the Iron Pour who was creating a 2-foot-tall "Spacecat" sculpture this year, said he always looks forward to the event.

"It's a fun week," he said. "I don't get to do much casting, so it's an effort to do some sculpture in a relatively short time. We don't have the facilities to do casting where I live. And it is a great community to be part of."

Jawrunner said there are several reasons the Iron Pour gets repeat business.

"One, we have an absolutely amazing facility," she said. "To be able to do this, we have a wonderful studio; we have all this space we can work in. A lot of sculpture areas are very small, very cramped and hard to maneuver. We are very blessed to have this luxury.

"Two, when they come to Tucumcari, they get an experience. Most of them are not from small towns. Most of them are not from the Southwest. For them, it's such a pleasure. People here are friendly and involved. I can't tell you how many people have said to me already how impressed they are with how the town responds. They get to act like rock stars here."

Matthew Davis, who's between jobs in Lamesa, Texas, tagged along with his cousin to attend the Iron Pour for the first time. He said was helping break down the coke and iron for the furnaces.

"I've never done anything like this before," Davis said. "I've just been making it up as I go. Everyone's been super-helpful. Everyone pitched in, showed me how to do a few things and they're really good about letting me participate. I'm just trying to help out wherever I can, wherever they need me.

"After my experience here so far, I'm definitely planning on coming back, as much as I can."