This year marks a significant anniversary in our school’s history: the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Holiday Iron Pour on December 7, 2025. In honor of this milestone, the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design will host a sculpture alumni exhibition in the Welch School galleries, a silent art auction, and acknowledge the legacy of George Beasley’s mentorship with an artist talk in Kopleff Recital Hall. Alumni and friends plan to travel across the country to join us for the big week of events culminating in a night of music, artwork, and molten iron. 

Under the direction of Professor George Beasley, the Sculpture Program at Georgia State University hosted its first annual holiday iron pour in downtown Atlanta in 1972. The program has continuously featured iron casting as a core component of its curriculum since the 1970s and the Georgia State Annual Holiday Iron Pour is the nation’s second oldest public iron pour in the nation, drawing notable artists, participants, and guests to this annual event. 

The weekend will kick off on Friday, December 6, with a reception in our Welch School Galleries for the 50th Anniversary Sculpture Alumni exhibition curated by artist Poppy Woodeson (5:00-8:00pm at 10 Peachtree Center Ave). Featuring work by sculpture alumni through the decades, the exhibition will present a dynamic range of techniques, media, and content. In addition to exploring the technical mastery of iron casting, the selected works will reflect the lasting impact of studying sculpture at GSU and the creative legacy formed in our Edgewood Studio. The tone of the show is celebratory, inviting artists to reflect on their time in Atlanta’s vibrant sculpture community. This event honors the tradition of iron casting while looking forward to the future of the craft. Juror talk will be at 6:00p.m.

To accompany the work in the galleries, our faculty published an interactive map of sculptures in the metro Atlanta area by faculty and alumni who have made a mark on our program. We encourage friends who may be in town for the events to use the digital map for a guided tour of Georgia State public works that have become iconic monuments in the city.

Saturday afternoon, December 7, at 12:00p.m., in Florence Kopleff Recital Hall (33 Gilmer St), we are pleased to host iron master and GSU Regents Professor Emeritus, George Beasley, for an artist talk followed by a Q&A and open mic discussion about his legacy in the scene globally. 

Beasley was vital in the foundation and growth of our sculpture program, mentoring and influencing so many artists in the regional, henational, international iron scene, many of whom will be coming back for the occasion. 

Later that evening, we will kick off the big event at the Edgewood Sculpture Building (246 Edgewood Ave SE, Atlanta). From 3:00-5:00p.m., anyone wanting to create a piece for the iron pour can purchase and prepare their scratch blocks, offered at different pricing tiers. During this time we will also have a silent auction for the student club, the Edgewood Sculpture Forum. Funding from the sales goes towards visiting artists, art-related travel, and student participation in the International Sloss Iron Conference.

The Annual Holiday Iron Pour is a dazzling and festive display of molten iron pour demonstrations. A team of current students, faculty, and alumni will work on a pour team under the direction of George Beasley and Emily Baker, signifying the history and future of our program. Light will be around 5:00pm with hot metal beginning at about 5:30. Whether you make a mold for casting or want to just come to witness the spectacle, join us for mulled wine, food trucks, a DJ, and the hottest show in Atlanta, celebrating its 50th anniversary!

For questions about the iron pour or how to purchase scratch blocks ahead of time, contact our Sculpture Facilities Coordinator, Blaise Dell at oblaisdell@gsu.edu 

For press, contact Public Relations Coordinator Jac Kuntz at jkuntz@gsu.edu

For links to any of the events in this press release, visit our homepage at artdesign.gsu.edu