Take a fine selection of aged whiskey, including the highly sought after Pappy Van Winkle, and combine it with a live art demonstration by master welder, Preston Farabow, and you have Art House’s latest event: Whiskey & Welding. 

More than 50 Art House members gathered at Ironwood Studios to sip some of Sazarac’s finest whiskeys and see art in action.  The unseasonably warm February night allowed for the doors to be open, with the warm breezes traveling from one end of the eclectic studio to the other.  Preston bends metal for a living, so things can get hot in the studio pretty easily; the professional artist owns and operates Aespyre Metal Design. 

During a chat with Art House member, Chad Youngblood, Farabow talked about making art that can be appreciated by people from all walks of life. He talked about the forgiveness of metal, saying “If you make a mistake, who cares? You just heat it up, and the mistake melts away. That’s why I love working with metal.” He has produced commissioned works for a diverse range of clients, both corporate and private, from the State of Tennessee to RedBull.  The work of which he is most proud, however?  Farabow said his two children.

Here is a look at what he created right before our eyes:

We also learned more about the whiskey industry and sipped whiskey from one of only 21,000 bottles of Pappy Van Winkle created each year. Patrick Campbell of Sazarac traveled from Frankfort, KY where the Buffalo Trace Distillery is located. He brought with him a variety of their whiskeys to taste. And to be technical, Campbell clarified that “all whiskey is bourbon, but not all bourbon is whiskey.” Whether it was bourbon in the glasses or whiskey, Art House members enjoyed every drop.

By night’s end, Art House members left with a greater appreciation for the taste of whiskey and the unique art of welding in equal measure. The juxtaposition of the two was obvious – one aged for years in a slow wooden barrel and the other a fast, hot metal, bending before our eyes.

A kid-friendly event is coming up for Art House members!  Join us at 9:30am on Saturday, February 10th, for a Valentines-making party, complete with donuts from Maker’s and a hot chocolate bar.  {And don’t worry, there will plenty of coffee for the adults too!}

We will get inspired by the artwork of Jim Dine.  Dine often uses the heart shape in his works, making him an ideal artist to study in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day!  Two new Dine pieces have been added to the KMA’s permanent collection since last year.

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Participants will get the chance to make their own works of art back in the great hall.  We will use a stippling technique with acrylic paint to create beautiful valentines for you and your little one(s) to take home!

The price for Donuts & Dine is $5/person.  Please RSVP to Maggie Meyers at mmeyers@knoxart.org.  We hope to see you on Saturday!