BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Vaughn Randall squinted behind wire-rimmed glasses while seated on a bench in the shadow of his winning sculpture outside the Bethlehem Visitor Center at SteelStacks.
His "Locus" — a five-and-and-feet-in-diameter, 1,000-pound, cast-iron and bronze, pinwheel-looking creation — rested on a black pedestal where it will remain for a year.
Dusk was approaching; the artist and his art were bathed in acceptance and the dying sunlight.
The official ceremony presenting the Atlanta-born Randall as the national contest winner of the third annual Sculpture at SteelStacks exhibition had not yet begun. Eleven artists’ work was entered; Randall got the call.
A full year after he initially had hoped.
“I had heard about this contest from my friend, Coral Lambert, who teaches at Alfred University,” said Randall, 54, Associate Professor of Sculpture, Art and Art History Department, at SUNY Cortland. “She has a piece out front here near the entrance.
“She mentioned I should apply, so I did last year. But I told them I was still working on (Locus). I had done a model of it, like two feet. I knew I could finish it in time. But they were like, ‘Well, maybe you should wait till next year.’
“So I reapplied and finished it in January in about four months.”
The Locus resembles a giant clock face. Twelve long individual pieces of cast iron, each weighing about 85 pounds, are assembled with bolts and meet at a gear-like creation at its center.
“It’s called Locus, which is a focus point,” Randall told the gathering. “What it's really about is encouraging people to take ownership of what types of things we do create and what types of ventures that we go into. And when do we know when to stop?”
The contest was sponsored by ArtsQuest. The winning selection was made by members of the Steel Weekend Arts subcommittee, which includes representatives of ArtsQuest, The National Museum of Industrial History, The SouthSide Arts District, the Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission and local artists.
“Vaughn won against some stiff competition,” said Kassie Hilgert, president and CEO of ArtsQuest.
“We want to continue to bring in visual artists to our cultural center. We also want the art to represent viewpoints from across our city.”
Randall was awarded $7,500 as a fee for the annual loan of the artwork.
Randall’s work has been exhibited throughout the U.S. and internationally.
“I’ve always been fascinated with industrial history, so I think that this work fits in with this site really well.”Vaughn Randall, sculptor
He received his BFA from Georgia State University and his MFA from the University of Washington.
Randall has a background in industrial design model making and is a master wood pattern maker for the foundry trades.
Prior to his current position at SUNY Cortland, he served as art director for Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark’s world renowned metal arts facility.
“The National Historic Landmark in Birmingham, Ala., is a similar facility to this one.” Randall said. “I’ve always been fascinated with industrial history, so I think that this work fits in with this site really well.”
