About Us
Showroom
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We are a 501(c)(3) non profit organization created "To provide a place for sculptural artists to create their art and develop their careers; to foster appreciation for the arts in the community; to foster cultural awareness, creativity and positive self esteem with outreach programs"
We need and welcome your support if you feel we are a community asset.
We provide for the community a place to see exhibitions and artists demonstrations, attend lectures, tour the working artist's studio areas, or take workshops. A demonstration or visit for your school, university, or organization may be arranged.
For 3D artists of all skill levels we provide a well-equipped studio and space where they can create their work, a showroom to share it with the community, our workshops and a mentoring program so they can broaden their skills, and a gathering place for shared values, ideas, support, and friendship. We are also a location for community activities and events.
Our hours are Tuesday and Thursday evenings 12:00 to 9:30 PM, and Saturdays from 11 AM to 4 PM.
Fire Arts / Dowagiac
Fire Arts and the City of Dowagiac, in Michigan, have teamed up recently, so that both groups will share artists that come from out of town. Dowagiac has seven outdoor sculptures by nationally know artists like Richard Hunt, Nina Akamu, Tuck Langland, Rosetta and Bob Guelich. Dowagiac has already contracted for five more sculptures – and this is in a town with less than 7,000 residents! It was a natural fit for a town that loves sculpture to pair up with a 3D studio.
Community Events
At Fire Arts, we also organize our own events for the community. We hosted Fiddlers Hearth, who made their award-winning St. Patrick’s Day float in our facility. We were the scene of the two-week Thai Fest when we hosted four government artists who were sent by the government of Thailand to learn our bronze casting techniques. Using volunteer interpreters from the University of Notre Dame and others in the community, the Thai artists presented a slide show of their work. The public also joined them at social events and watched as they created portraits of local celebrities. They returned to Thailand feeling they had made good friends halfway around the world.
Another community event occurred by accident, as four artists worked simultaneously on large art projects in our facilities. Some local residents came every week or two to watch the progress of Tuck Langland’s 11’H mother, baby and grandmother figures for the Woman’s Hospital of Texas in the back room, the Blodgetts’ 33’ long mural for a hospital in California, and Kathy Reddy White’s artistry as she turned 100 plain chairs into cheerful, colorful furniture for a new Hacienda Restaurant.
Click here to read our MISSION, VISION and VALUES.
For Art Production
Our open studio is roughly divided into a sculpture side and a pottery side. The scupture side has areas for modeling in clay, woodworking, rubber mold making, plaster work, wax casting, and a metal finishing area with a chop saw, sand blaster and a variety of welding equipment. The pottery side has wheels (some potters bring their own), work tables, glazes and ingredients to create glazes. Our kiln room is where the two sides meet with a small and large electric kiln and a large and very large gas kiln for potters and a wax burnout kiln and bronze melting furnace for sculptors. We also have a growing jewelers area with small kilns and a professional buffer.
Interested in becoming an Artist-in-Residence ?
For Art Education
Our facilities can supplement your art education program. Speak with us about bringing your class to use our facilities. At least one of our artists will be here to facilitate the operation.
Schools or organizations may arrange for a lecture tour, with or without demonstrations. Organizations may arrange for their entire meeting to occur at Fire Arts, including the simple refreshments. We have a small kitchen to accomodate you.
Video - Bronze casting at Fire Arts
Do you want to know how a bronze sculpture is created at Fire Arts? Watch this video of resident artist Yvonne Desrosiers creating her latest piece -- a 3/4 life sized sculpture of a cougar. The finished sculpture will be installed in the atrium of New Prairie Middle School in New Carlisle, IN.