Southern Miss Invites Public to Annual Iron Pour
Tue, 11/03/2026 - 09:49am | By: Mike Lopinto
Sparks will fly, molten metal will flow and imagination will take shape as The University
of Southern Mississippi’s School of Performing and Visual Arts welcomes the community to its annual Iron Pour on Saturday, Nov. 14, from noon to 4:30 p.m. at the 3D Arts Building, located at
2905 West Fourth Street in Hattiesburg.
Presented by the Art and Design program in the School of Performing and Visual Arts, this popular event offers a
rare, up-close look at the dramatic process of transforming molten iron into works
of art. With roaring furnaces, glowing metal and skilled artists at work, the Iron
Pour turns an industrial process into an unforgettable creative spectacle.
Visitors can do more than watch. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., guests may purchase a $20
scratch block and carve their own designs, creating a personal piece of artwork to
be cast in iron. No artistic experience is necessary, making the event an especially
memorable opportunity for families, students and curious minds of all ages.
Organized by Southern Miss sculpture professor Jennifer Torres, the Iron Pour has
become a distinctive Southern Miss tradition, bringing together artists, students
and community members through a shared experience of creativity, craftsmanship and
discovery.
“The iron pour represents an important activity for the students to organize an event
and work as a group, especially in the visual arts where we tend to work in a solitary
fashion,” said Torres. “This year we are running our small furnace, which gives the
students the unique opportunity to get in-depth hands-on experience with a blast furnace.
It’s always exciting to see molten iron poured into molds and scratch blocks and to
behold the artistic shapes and forms that are a result of the process.”
The celebration also includes a free guest artist lecture by Cortnie Matthews on Thursday,
Nov. 12, at 5:30 p.m. in the 3D Arts Building. The Iron Pour is free and open to the
public, with optional scratch block purchases available for those wishing to create
their own cast-iron artwork.
Visit Iron Pour for more information about the event, or contact professor Jennifer Torres at Jennifer.TorresFREEMississippi.
School of Performing and Visual Arts
The School of Performing and Visual Arts at The University of Southern Mississippi
brings together Art and Design, Dance and Theatre in a vibrant community of artists, performers, designers, scholars and educators.
Part of the College of Arts and Sciences, the school is home to nationally recognized programs. Its distinguished faculty
are professionals whose work extends across the country and around the world, bringing
that expertise into the classroom and giving students opportunities to grow creatively.
Through productions, performances, exhibitions, studio practice and collaborative
projects, students develop their artistic voices and prepare for careers in the arts.
The school’s theatres, studios, galleries and Museum of Art provide spaces for students and faculty to perform, exhibit and share their work
with the Southern Miss community and beyond.