Major fun - celebrate with us! | April 12, 2019

Major the Bull turns 15

To help mark his 15th birthday during Durham’s year-long sesquicentennial celebration, the community’s beloved Major the Bull sculpture in CCB Plaza will be receiving new, bronze signage, in both English and Spanish, and the Bull City is invited to the celebration. 

Hosted by the City of Durham and Liberty Arts, the event will take place in front of the Bull sculpture at CCB Plaza, which is located at the corner of Corcoran and West Parrish Streets in downtown Durham, on Friday, April 12 at 11 a.m. At this event, community members will have the opportunity to meet the artist team behind the sculpture, Leah Foushee Waller and Mike Waller, and hear them speak about creating the Bull, and what the sculpture means to Durham today. Mayor Steve Schewel also will speak and Liberty Arts representatives will be giving out free cupcakes.  

The sculpture, titled Major the Bull, was cast in bronze and created from start to finish in Durham at Liberty Arts, a studio and foundry dedicated to enriching our communities with arts experiences that inspire, empower, educate, and entertain. The sculpture and plaza were gifted through a grant by the Central Carolina Bank to the residents of Durham. The statue depicts a bull, a symbol for Durham since the 1800s, and stands 10 feet tall. The monument reinforces the strong qualities of the city and its residents, even in the face of negative perceptions of the area.

Scratch Block Pick Up at the studio

Come pick up your beautiful iron tiles at the Liberty Arts Studio.

If you weren’t able to get your tiles(s) on Sunday the 17th, please contact info@libertyartsnc.org to schedule a pick up time. We are keeping it/them safe and sound at the Liberty Arts Studio, 918 Pearl St.

To Add A Finish To Your Tile:

If you’d like to add layers or depth to your tile you may follow these instructions:

1. Put the tile outside for a few weeks to a month - until it rusts

2. Use steel wool and/or very fine tri-mite sandpaper to “erase” the rust where you’d like the shiny iron to come through.

3. When you like the effect, spray your tile with Clear Coat. It’s a clear sealant for metal available at JoAnne’s or Michael’s or online.

4. We’d love to see the finished product, especially if you want to take the time to show the process - before and after pix. Send pictures to info@libertyartsnc.org

Enjoy! You’ve created a fabulous memory!!

Durham County Pottery Tour | November 9 & 10, 2019

This year, Delores Hayes (www.deloresjhayes.com ) is putting us on the map by having her studio here at Liberty Arts be part of the Durham County Pottery Tour.

Our studio is at 918 Pearl St., Durham NC 27701. Come through gate at the Mallard St. end of Pearl St, turn right and find parking at end of lot. Go in through yellow door under ENTRANCE sign.

Saturday, November 9, 10am - 5pm and Sunday, November 10, 12pm - 5pm

Please look online to find more information and maps to help guide you around to all the amazing studios here in Durham County.

https://www.durhamcountypotterytour.com/general-info

Screening: Temple of the Heart | February 22nd, 2020 | 7-10pm

Come join Liberty Arts, The Hope James Foundation, Josh’s Hope Foundation, and the Art Therapy Institute of NC for an evening of exploration into the healing qualities of art.

On February 22nd from 7 to 10pm we are honored to have a screening of the documentary “Temple of the Heart” by Ajit Anthon, produced by the Hope James Foundation, featuring Tripp Jarvis, a Liberty Arts artist. The screening will be held here at our studio, 918 Pearl St.

Tripp and others will share their heroic stories of working through trauma and mental health issues using art in its various forms. Enjoy an exhibition of artwork on the theme ”Art and Healing” along with an engaging panel discussion featuring those with a variety of perspectives on the issue. You’ll have a chance to ask questions and participate in conversations with members of the panel, our community and those from our sponsors mentioned above.

Please email info@libertyartsnc.org with any questions.

4th Annual Iron Pour | November 16, 2019

On Saturday, November 16th we will be melting 4,000 lbs of iron at 3,000 degrees right in the middle of Durham Central Park. Sound crazy? It's just what we do for fun. 

If you've never seen an Iron Pour, think about a gritty ballet where all the dancers are decked out in helmets and head-to-toe in leathers, dancing around a roaring furnace and pouring red hot metal into molds.

You can participate in this upcoming pour by creating your own scratch block and then watching it being poured on the 16th.

A scratch block is a 6X6 indentation in a block of hardened sand that you will receive when you sign up for a scratch block class. You scratch a design into the block, thinking backwards and upside down because you're creating the negative. We'll pour the molten iron into your block and you'll have a beautiful iron tile of your design. You'll be able to pick it up the next day as it will be TOO hot to take home that night.

Schedule:

Scratch block workshops run from 10am - 2:30pm. You’ll be able to buy and scratch a block until we run out.

Furnaces lit - 3:30pm

Batalá drums two sets from about 4pm to about 6pm

First pour around 4:30 - 5pm

Dragoonis Flame and his troupe will be performing an indescribable fire eating/breathing act starting around 6:30pm.

Last pour around 9pm

Scratch block workshops run a couple of times per week from September 25th to November 16th. Click below find the date that works for you.

REGISTER HERE

Durham Art Walk | March 7th-8th, 2020

Celebrate Durham’s downtown art walk at our beautiful foundry in Durham Central Park! Carve a scratchblock while sipping wine - then watch as Liberty Artists fire up the furnace, melt a crucible of metal, and pour your piece right in front of you. Once your tile cools - you’ll be able to take it home. Space is limited, so get your reservations early!

Times: Saturday March 7, 10am-5pm | Sunday March 8, 1-5pm

Sign up now for Earlybird pricing of $80. Price goes up to $100 on March 1.

The foundry will open at 1pm - each student will receive a scratchblock, and instructions on how to carve their design. (Note: While students don’t necessarily need to show up at exactly 1, all scratchblocks need to be finished by 3.)

At 3, we’ll fire up the furnace and serve wine, cider, and hors d’oeuvre as students finish their designs.

At around 4, we’ll pour the molten metal into the scratchblock molds.

Please pick up the cooled tiles before 5pm.

MORE DETAILS - SIGN UP