Noblique Featured in “STYLE MAKERS”

Pick up your copy of luxe today.  As of October 20th, it’s on newstands and the Texas issues will be available all over the state.  I am featured in the “Style Makers” section of this coffee table magazine.  Get your copy now!

For more images of the opening reception check out my Flickr feed.

I had only recently seen some flyers floating around about a new gallery space called Tractorbeam.  After being invited to join a group line up and exhibit there, I did a bit of research and learned that this ‘gallery’ is actually a branding firm with an impressive reputation and line up of clients. Carved out of the center of Tractorbeam’s offices is what has become a new hot spot for pop-up exhibitions.  I was excited to see what the fuss was all about.  The show easily packed at least 200 enthusiastic art show goers into it’s tiny space, forcing the crowd to flood out onto the sidewalk and the lofted hallways upstairs.  A full bar, live DJ, and a lot of great art.  My sculpture showed well in this space with it’s white walls, exposed brick and modern, industrial feel.

Promotional Design by Audra Sewell-Noblique

Shopping for Sustainability at Pine Street Salvage

Every sculpture I create is made from 100% recycled steel.  Chances are, that steel has been recycled more than once even prior to my salvaging it.  Each year Americans recycle more steel than Plastic after all.  When I look at the huge piles of steel at the salvage yard, I can’t imagine buying new steel to create with.  It is far more satisfying to me to turn something discarded and mangled into a graceful and really beautiful sculpture, mare challenging and ultimately rewarding.  It is quite powerful to me how the process goes and the end result is so connected to the earth, the way the sculpture interacts with the natural environment in such an organic way.  I feel really good about this and I believe my sculptures possess more of a heart and soul because of it.

Some Facts About Steel Recycling:

• Americans use 100 million steel cans every day.
• The steel industry has been recycling for over 150 years.
• The steel industry’s largest source of raw material is scrap metal, which is commonly collected by recycling steel.
• Recycling steel saves 75 percent of the energy that would be used to create steel from raw materials, enough to power 18 million homes.
• Over 65 percent of the steel produced in the U.S. is recycled into new steel every year.
• One ton of recycled steel saves 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal and 120 pounds of limestone.
• A steel frame for a 2,000 square foot, two-story house is equivalent to the material of about six recycled cars; a comparable wooden frame would take over 40 trees to produce.

My responsibility doesn’t stop with just recycling or salvaging steel to build my sculptures with.  What about the painted finish?  I use an industrial finish called Powdercoating.  This has been around for a long time and is a popular choice for public art because of it’s durability and resilience to the elements.   The fact is that it should be a popular choice because of how environmentally friendly it is.  Powdercoating is a dry coating. Instead of being dissolved or suspended in a liquid medium, such as a solvent or water, powder is applied in a dry granular form. This material is a little finer than ground pepper but coarser than flour, and is applied directly to the sculpture to be coated.  After the powder is applied to the sculpture, typically using an electrostatic spray process, the sculpture is placed in an oven where it cures, melting the powder into a smooth film on the surface of the sculpture.  There are many benefits to using powdercoatings such as the variety of effects, colors, the fact that it actually adheres to steel with some flexion to help prevent cracking, it is resistant to rust, and won’t fade from sun damage for up to 20 years.

"Unity" by Nic Noblique by Commission for Trinity College in Hartford CT

One of best reasons for using powder over a liquid finish is that it’s environmentally friendly and virtually pollution free. There are no volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) or solvents to evaporate into the atmosphere.  It doesn’t pose a health risk to technicians applying the finish.  Powder is so environmentally friendly that all of the air born powder in the powdercoating booth goes through a filter system and clean air is then vented back into the work area.  In fact, one of the major elements in expanding the market for powder coating has been the implementation over the past 30 years of stringent air pollution controls set by the U.S. environmental protection agency.  Additionally, powder coating overspray can be recycled and thus it is possible to achieve nearly 100% use of the coating.

I love creating sculpture and I love the earth.  Achieving new levels of sustainability in public art is my biggest concern.  I hope that the world continues to collectively realize new ways they can impact the environment in a positive way.  Everyone should ask themselves how they can make a change.  Weather you are an artist, a teacher, a factory worker, a bus driver, an engineer, and so on, what can you do?  And the next time you find yourself observing a public art piece, why not ask, “Does this art LOVE the Earth?”.  I know mine does.

On News Stands Now!  Pick up a copy or dowload the PDF online now at   www.artsandculturedfw.com, Page 13 Feature Article and Interview with Nic  Noblique!

Sculpture by Nic Noblique currently on exhibit at the Dominion:

Interested in more about The Sculptors’ Dominion International?  www.sculptorsdominion.com