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Manzanola, Colorado, doesn't have much in the way of art.
Living in little more than a bump along state highway 50, about an hour east of Pueblo, the kids of the tiny ranching town are apt to know more about dust than they do about Rodin, more about milking cows than they do of Henry Moore. That's why CU-Denver sculpture major Bobby Doerr got involved.
Doerr, along with her mother, Joan Gregory, art specialist for the Manzanola school system, figured the best way to expose the town's youth to sculpture in the making was simply to expose them to sculpture in the making. Some sack lunches, a three-hour bus ride, and one clearance from UCD's College of Arts and Media later and over 30 high schoolers and junior high students from the area were doing just that: watching firsthand how to complete an iron pour here at UCD's newest facility.
The day-long field trip, which included a morning perusing through the Denver Art Museum, was more than just a casual outing for most of these students. Many of them, said Gregory, come from transient family situations-farmers and ranch hands up from Mexico to work the season.
"This is really good for them," said Gregory. "Most don't realize that art can be a career, that you can make a living out of it. And my telling them isn't the same as bringing them here."
The experience seemed to stick. Sweat rolled down temples and eyes like saucers watched as senior instructor Michael Brohman and his student helper, Ben Dayton, transferred molten metal to a series of castings made by UCD students.
Most students had never seen anything like this, and it's fair to say that most will never forget. Whether any of them go on to become the next Michelangelo remains to be seen.
"I think time will tell," said Gregory. "The best thing I can do is just expose them to things. Somewhere along the way, hopefully something will click for them."
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