Steel City Art Works
216 S. Union Avenue
Pueblo, Co 81003
719.542.6838
BUY LOCAL
BUY AMERICAN
Real Art for Real People!
Steel City Art Works  located in the Historic
Union Avenue District of Pueblo Colorado is a
cooperative gallery with over thirty artists
working  in many different  mediums and
styles.

Quality is our focus at Steel City Art Works,
award-winning and nationally known artists
who display work in every medium.  These
include painting in oil, acrylic, pastels as
well as, sculpture in metal, wood, stone, and
glass. The jewelry is traditional as well as
cutting edge, including beadwork, silver,
precious stones and glassware. Photography
is represented in digital and traditional
formats as well as alternative methods. The
pottery includes Earth Fired, Raku, and an
amazing number of glazes and shapes.
Union Avenue hosts a First Friday Art Walk
each month, and Steel City Artworks is one
of many that participate and exhibit new and
exciting work each month.
Man of steel

The other new exhibit of
contemporary art is the iron and
steel sculpture of Aaron Williams,
found downstairs in the Hoag
Gallery. Williams is a Pueblo native
who studied art at Colorado State
University-Pueblo and now
practices traditional blacksmith and
metalwork at his local studio. For
many viewers, this exhibit will be
their introduction to the art of this
young local artist.

Williams is a man of few words; he
does not like to conceptualize his
art. “All I ask of you,” he says, “is
to take a moment to look and see
what you may.” He prefers to let
the sculpture speak for itself.

Metal is perhaps the most difficult
of all artistic materials to work
with, and you can only admire the
way the artist twists and welds his
materials to create interesting and
playful forms. Much of his art is
created from recycled and
reworked metal. Rusted iron is cut
and bent into flowers; old propane
tanks are torched into delightful
jack-o’-lantern faces.

There is a persistent spiritual theme
in his art as well, one that goes to
the heart of his medium. What is,
after all, the soul of iron and steel?
For a blacksmith who spends hours
leaning over an anvil, hammering
away at his material, the answer is
found in its voice — the ringing
sound it makes when struck.

Everywhere in this exhibit there are
bells and bell-like instruments as
part of the sculpture. It is as
though the artist brings his
sculpture to life by giving the
material its own voice.

The predominant sculpture on view
here is a large crucifix displayed in
the middle of the gallery, made of
cut and welded steel, cut open to
reveal an illuminated interior with
Christian symbols. If ever the
Christian community of the Steel
City were to seek a monumental
symbol of its faith — wrought from
local steel by one of its own sons —
this is it.

“Environ-Mental” will be on view in
the White Gallery until May 12;
Aaron Williams' sculpture can be
seen in the Hoag Gallery through
April 21.

The arts center is located at 210 N.
Santa Fe Ave. in downtown Pueblo.
Call 291-7200 for more information.
Aaron Williams
At the Sangre de Cristo Art Center
From the Pueblo Chieftan 2/9/12