Sloss Furnaces

Sloss Furnaces produced iron in Alabama's Jones Valley for nearly 90 years. Now a National Historic Landmark, museum, and casting facility, Sloss Furnaces offers a glimpse of America's rich industrial past. The Metal Museum is pleased to exhibit work by artists who are carrying this tradition into the future. Michael Bonadio, Remy Hanemann, Heather Spencer Holmes, and Joe McCreary, all currently Resident Artists at Sloss, will install their cast iron artwork in our galleries and on our grounds.

About the Artists

Michael Bonadio
“I find myself appropriating well-known symbols to set up scenes and stories loaded with personal poignant relevance. Drawn towards child-like innocence and wonder, these references become a tool to relate to a broader human experience shared by many, rather than one alone.”

Bonadio received a BFA from the University of West Virginia. He was awarded a visiting artist residency at Sloss Furances in 2007 and was awarded “Best of Show” at the 5th Annual Mountain State Juried Art Exhibit, Fairmont, WV 2002. Recently he has shown his work in several exhibitions throughout Alabama.

Remy Hanemann
“I select previously made components from scrap yards and use them as analogies. The scrap is selected based on their shape, size and texture. These qualities are very important; they hint of an object’s history from the welder’s floor to the scrap pile. I appropriate these components and add elements and color.”

Hanemann received a BFA from the University of Louisiana, Layfayette and an MFA from the University of Tennessee. His work has been exhibited at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, the University of Southern Mississippi, and the Univeristy of Rio Grande.

Heather Spencer Holmes
“In my work, I explore the creation of objects that serve as society’s functional utensils, but tools that may one day be seen as a part of the history of art. I think of my sculptures as the reliquaries of a past humanity.”

Joe McCreary
“Metal casting appeals to me because of the permanence of the modern artifacts I create and the excitement of the casting process. With dedication to craftsmanship, I intend to continue experimenting with new techniques learned from each casting.”

McCreary received a BFA from the University of Southern Mississippi. He has exhibited in Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, and New Mexico, and was previously a panelist at the 5th International Conference on Contemporary Cast Iron Art in Ironbridge, England

National Ornamental Metal Museum 374 Metal Museum Drive, Memphis, Tennessee 38106
Phone: 901-774-6380 or 1-877-881-2326