Life Cycles of Iron in Art and the Landscape

📅 Thursday, October 15, 2026
⏰ 5:30–8:00pm
📍 MDC’s Dining Room
💲 FREE and open to all

What happens when the iron beneath our feet becomes part of the art around us? Join MDC Museum & Research Center Director Allyse Freeman and painter, material researcher, and educator Elisabeth Heying for an engaging, hands-on exploration of the many life cycles of iron in art and the landscape.

The evening begins with Allison MJ Collins, a representative from CHAIR, sharing how the arts are shaping the Iron Range, followed by Allyse with a brief introduction to the history and landscape of the region.

Then, Elisabeth will take you on an experimental journey through the many forms and uses of iron in artmaking—from raw steel to iron oxide-based earth pigments. Watch a live demonstration of how natural minerals can be transformed into pigments and then made into paint!

🎨 Hands-on activities will include:

• Creating oxidation drawings on steel plates
• Painting with red earth pigments from the Minnesota Iron Range
• Exploring the connection between art, science, minerals and the landscape around us

Part show-and-tell, part cooking show, part science lesson, and part art class, this unique experimental workshop invites participants to connect with the material and landscape of their home through creative experimentation.

🍴 Complimentary appetizers included!
🍹 Cash bar available!

Event Schedule

• 5:30–6:00pm: Social hour & arrival
• 6:00–6:30pm: Presentations by Allison MJ Collins and Allyse Freeman
• 6:30–8:00pm: Experimental art workshop with Elisabeth Heying

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.