Artistic Sparks Fly at The Steel Yard - Inside Art by Michael Rose
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
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When thinking of an artist at work, some might imagine a painter gingerly daubing on a canvas. Metal and a blowtorch may be less expected when thinking of a studio. At The Steel Yard in Providence, though, these are exactly the implements that artists use to execute their craft. The fine work being made at The Steel Yard by sculptors like Bruna D’Alessandro and Steve Buduo is indicative of the creative success being cultivated at this important center for industrial arts.
Born and raised in Rome, Bruna D’Alessandro currently resides in Brooklyn. A talented artist who trained as a painter at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma, D’Alessandro now sculpts in metal. Through the end of April, she is participating in a residency at The Steel Yard, where she is assembling a multi-part still life sculpture shaped by hand and hammer.
On a recent visit to The Steel Yard, D’Alessandro showed off her virtuosity with a forge and a blowtorch. Holding an abstract piece of metal with long-handled tongs, D’Alessandro expertly weaved between stations in the organization’s well-appointed blacksmith shop. Heating her medium to a red-hot temperature in a forge, she used handmade tools to vigorously shape and reshape the metal until it began to take the form of a croissant. It is a perfect addition to a collection that includes steel tomatoes, cucumbers, and an apple.
Speaking of her residency period, D’Alessandro says, “I dedicated my time completely to create the projects I had in mind with no distractions. I love The Steel Yard metal shops. They are very well equipped and amazingly organized and I spent every single day in them! From my experience, the place has a talent in stimulating the exchange of art expressions, ideas, and skills with energy, inclusivity, and kindness. And this made my experience focused and fun!”
Founded in 2002, The Steel Yard is a place that has few counterparts in the region. The organization is housed within a former industrial site at 27 Sims Avenue that has been revitalized into an anchor cultural institution. It hosts classes in an array of topics from blacksmithing, welding, and foundry, to ceramics and jewelry. Another component of its program is a public projects department that has produced numerous pieces of creatively designed metalwork for community use. The Steel Yard’s artist residency program brings a constant stream of new voices to Rhode Island.
Asked what special value she feels resident artists like D’Alessandro bring to The Steel Yard, the organization’s associate director Islay Taylor says, “Having residents like Bruna embedded in our community is invigorating and inspiring for our entire creative community. As a conceptual artist using traditional blacksmithing techniques, she has used our studios and tools in ways that pushed the boundaries of her materials; demonstrating new possibilities to those working alongside her.”
While D’Alessandro has some time left to try her hand at the multitude of tools the organization has to offer, sculptor Steve Buduo recently wrapped up a residency. He also works on the team that fabricates the group’s public projects. Originally from Worcester, Buduo studied at Bowdoin College and was living in New York prior to relocating to Providence. Where D’Alessandro creates recognizable and lifelike objects, Buduo transforms concrete and steel into poetically abstract forms. At once solid and transparent, his sculptures are excellent.
Speaking of his experience as an artist working with industrial materials at The Steel Yard, Buduo says, “It’s difficult to work in steel or concrete. Both are dirty, noisy processes. Most studio spaces prohibit it, at least on a larger scale. The Steel Yard not only allows me to realize the work I want to create, but encourages it even when it may not be all that practical. My work involves a lot of experimentation, re-doing things, and often striking out, and it’s beyond valuable as an artist to be around people who understand that. The Steel Yard is a haven for artists, makers, etc. to push their practice without any of those restrictions or judgment.”
Regarding what she hopes individuals take away from experiencing The Steel Yard, Islay Taylor states, “I hope that visitors to The Steel Yard have the opportunity to experience the industrial arts in an equitable, inclusive, and just way; that they can be part of an intersectional community and grow their creative practice with the support of the organization and their peers.”
In the work of D’Alessandro, Buduo, and the multitude of other active artists at the organization, there is little doubt that The Steel Yard is a fiery creative space like no other.
Learn about D’Alessandro at http://www.brunadalessandro.com
Learn about Buduo at https://www.stevebuduo.com
Learn about all The Steel Yard has to offer at www.thesteelyard.org
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