Philip Simmons Elementary sculpts permanent mascot

Bob Doster is an internationally acclaimed sculpture artist located in Lancaster, South Carolina. Doster embodies the term “working artist,” having worked with over 150,0000 students of all ages over the course of his 40-plus years teaching. One can visit almost every school district in the state to find works created by students during his artist residencies – including Philip Simmons Elementary.
 
Now, thanks in part to a S.C. Arts Commission grant, PSE students will forever have their handy work on campus in the form of a sculpture they helped create three weeks ago on campus.
 
Jessica Moss, the Philip Simmons art teacher who collaborated with Doster on this project shared how it came to fruition. “All the Philip Simmons schools are STEAM schools, the A stands for art.” 
 
Art is a key component of the curriculum at Philip Simmons from elementary all the way up to high school. Moss’ team in the arts department consistently “apply for ABC grants: Arts in Basic Curriculum which allows (teachers) to incorporate art into lessons.” 
 
ABC grants are funded by the South Carolina Arts Commission, which are supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. “As an art teacher, these grants have enabled us to go on field trips to see musical performances, get guest artists, storytellers and other performers,” Moss said. 
 
Doster is on the roster of approved S.C. Art Commission artists. Moss and her team looked through a variety of artists’ work and contacted Doster. The idea sprung to involve all of the second through fourth grade students in the process of creating a sculpture of their mascot, the Iron Horse, using their hands. As a professional metal sculptor, Doster provided all the safety equipment to protect the students. They put on full welding gear, helmet and gloves. Each of the more than 250 students “held their hand over a stainless steel plate.
They traced their hands on two-foot by four-foot steel plates then I put my hand over theirs and using a plasma cutter, we cut out their hand.” Doster explained. “They loved it. They get to play with fire.” 
 
Doster then took all the hands back to his studio to polish them individually. Then he worked with his fabricator to create the Iron Horse armature which stands at about 5 feet tall with the welded hands intertwined throughout the sculpture.  
 
Moss explained how invaluable it is to engage students in this kind of hands-on educational experience. “They thought it was fascinating to see something permanent that they were a part of creating. Many of the kids who have moved onto middle school have come back to see it.” “They say, ‘I made that. I was a part of that.’”
 
The Iron Horse is currently inside campus awaiting its permanent home and unveiling outside the school to greet guests at a date to be determined by the Berkeley County School District. In the meantime, one cannot help but wonder: will more handy work take place in the shape of iron horses on an incrementally larger scale on the other Philip Simmons campuses? Never say neigh.
 
Heather MacQueen Jones is a Daniel Island artist journaling life’s journey through oil painting.  Follow her stories on Instagram @heARTpalette or MacQueenJones.com.

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