Presentation Type
Demonstration
Number of Presenters
1
College or University
Arkansas State University
Department
Fine Arts
Faculty Mentor
Andrew Fernandez afernandez@astate.edu
Student Level
Undergraduate student(s)
Abstract
I’m a senior graphic design major who has found a deep connection to sculpture, especially through working with wood and metal. Welding and fabrication, processes often seen as industrial or rigid, become in my practice a way to create expressive and delicate forms. My current work, a pair of steel wings, takes inspiration from the bright colors and playful designs that shaped my imagination growing up. By reshaping heavy materials into vibrant, uplifting forms, I explore how strength and softness can exist together. Sculpture, for me, is about transformation—turning what feels tough and immovable into something full of life, color, and possibility.
Recommended Citation
Mantz, Victoria C., "Forged to Fly" (2025). Arkansas Liberal Arts and Humanities Day. 4.
https://arch.astate.edu/humanities-day/2025/2025/4
Forged to Fly
I’m a senior graphic design major who has found a deep connection to sculpture, especially through working with wood and metal. Welding and fabrication, processes often seen as industrial or rigid, become in my practice a way to create expressive and delicate forms. My current work, a pair of steel wings, takes inspiration from the bright colors and playful designs that shaped my imagination growing up. By reshaping heavy materials into vibrant, uplifting forms, I explore how strength and softness can exist together. Sculpture, for me, is about transformation—turning what feels tough and immovable into something full of life, color, and possibility.
