{"id":542288,"date":"2026-07-10T06:13:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T06:13:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/542288\/"},"modified":"2026-07-10T06:13:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T06:13:25","slug":"where-steel-meets-sculpture-fhsu-graduate-student-forges-artwork","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/542288\/","title":{"rendered":"Where steel meets sculpture: FHSU graduate student forges artwork"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"CharlesCharles Dan Schluckebier posing next to a sculpture of himself that he sculpted. Courtesy Photo<\/p>\n

By ALIN HETT
Hays Post<\/p>\n

For generations, iron work in Kansas has been tied to the state\u2019s development, from frontier blacksmith shops to railroad construction and agricultural expansion. <\/p>\n

Today, that same tradition continues in a different form through artists who use welding, forging and metal fabrication to create sculptures and expressive designs.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Charles Dan Schluckebier, a recent master’s of fine arts graduate at Fort Hays State University, works within that evolving tradition.<\/p>\n

In the sculpture workshop on campus, he transforms steel and iron into handcrafted pieces that blend technical skill with artistic exploration under the supervision of Toby Flores, professor of sculpture at FHSU.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI was first drawn to iron and metalwork because of the physicality of it, the weight, the heat and the directness of the process,\u201d Schluckebier said. \u201cI grew up in a rural farming environment where working with materials and fixing things was just part of everyday life. <\/p>\n

“My mother was an artist, and my father was a welder, so both creative thinking and hands-on making were part of my upbringing. That background shaped my approach to metalwork.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"AA creative piece made by Schluckebier called a Cast Iron Goose Decoy that incorporates mixed metal pieces and a combination of “adult and childlike mindset” into art. This piece was part of his thesis. Courtesy photo\u00a0<\/p>\n

That combination of rural labor and creative influence reflects a broader Kansas story. In early settlements, blacksmiths served as essential workers, repairing tools, shoeing horses and fabricating equipment needed for farming and transportation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Schluckebier said the connection between labor and creativity continues to influence his own work today.<\/p>\n

\"CharlesCharles Dan Schluckebier in full uniform prior to the metalworking process. Courtesy photo<\/p>\n

Iron work also remains physically and mentally demanding, requiring long attention spans and constant problem solving. For Schluckebier, that process is part of what keeps the work engaging.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a long arc to each work, and I find it rewarding to stay with the process all the way through,\u201d Schluckebier said. \u201cI also appreciate how much attention the work demands at every stage, and that is what keeps me engaged.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although Schluckebier began working with iron during high school, his engagement with metalwork has accelerated in recent years. Before pursuing graduate studies at FHSU, he taught wood-shop, welding, art and wrestling at Wauneta-Palisade High School in southwest Nebraska.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He said teaching played a significant role in shaping his decision to pursue his own artistic path more fully.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Through that experience, Schluckebier developed a deeper understanding of technical instruction, creative problem solving and hands-on craftsmanship, all of which continue to influence his studio practice.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy sculptures begin with a loose idea or question rather than a fully developed plan,\u201d Schluckebier said. \u201cI might sketch certain elements or build a small model but a lot of the decision making happens through the process of the make.\u201d<\/p>\n

That process-driven approach also extends to public exhibitions. Schluckebier\u2019s recent work displayed at FHSU introduced many viewers to his use of metal as both structural material and artistic medium.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope viewers spend time looking and allow themselves to be curious,\u201d Schluckebier said. \u201cMuch of my process involved responding to materials, solving problems and following unexpected directions as a sculpture develops, and I hope viewers experience some of that openness when they encounter the work.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"ThisThis was part of a bigger project including a windmill but when Schluckebier tore down the windmill, he decided to keep this piece and has titled it, “Manly Blossoming”. Courtesy Photo<\/p>\n

Iron pours, collaborative events where molten iron is heated and cast into molds, represent another major part of his practice. These events bring together artists, technicians and assistants in a coordinated environment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIron pours are special to me because of the collaborative energy of everyone working toward the same moment,\u201d Schluckebier said. \u201cIt is a shared problem solving environment in a way that’s hard to replicate in the studio. All the preparation leads into a very short, critical moment when the iron is poured.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AnAn iron-pour done by multiple students at the FHSU Foundry including Schluckebier. Courtesy photo\u00a0<\/p>\n

While Schluckebier works within a long tradition of metal casting and fabrication, he said he does not aim to replicate historical forms. Instead, he focuses on how those techniques can be reinterpreted through his own artistic perspective.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think of my own work as coming out of a long history of metalworking and casting, and I’m aware of the tradition that influenced me, but I’m not trying to strictly follow or repeat it,\u201d Schluckebier said. \u201cI am more interested in how I can use those processes in my own way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AA sculpture that Schluckebier created as part of his thesis project. Schluckebier said he drew inspiration from Picasso during his creative process. Courtesy Photo<\/p>\n

As Schluckebier continues developing his practice beyond graduate school, he plans to expand the scale of his work and pursue additional exhibition opportunities.<\/p>\n

Schluckebier is currently still a student at FHSU studying sculpture and developing his artistic practice.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI am planning to keep building new iron work and expanding the scale of what I’m doing as I move beyond my MFA,\u201d Schluckebier said. \u201cI want to continue showing in group exhibitions, especially spaces that are open to process-based sculpture and material driven work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SchluckebierSchluckebier in the foundry environment, highlighting the blend of experimentation and creativeness by grilling hot dogs. Courtesy photo.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Charles Dan Schluckebier posing next to a sculpture of himself that he sculpted. Courtesy Photo By ALIN HETTHays…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":542289,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[307,304,305,306,308,93,61,60],"class_list":["post-542288","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-artsdesign","tag-design","tag-entertainment","tag-ie","tag-ireland"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/542288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=542288"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/542288\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/542289"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=542288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=542288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=542288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}