The Patterns Initiative:
K-12 Introduction to Industry Through Art
Patterns of Meaning is an arts-integrated program that uses fine art, history, and hands-on activities to introduce elementary students to the creativity and innovation behind steel, specialty materials, and metal manufacturing. Anchored in our shared industrial heritage and brought to life through large-scale artworks and the Patterns collection, this program engages learners who may never have considered careers in engineering, design, or manufacturing.
Supported by IACMI’s METAL program, our work is part of a national effort to transform the U.S. metal manufacturing workforce by developing stackable curriculums “from K to gray.”
Read about the origin of Patterns of Meaning in Forbes Magazine.
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The Barn
I stood at the top of steps speechless. Chip Barletto, a scrap metal dealer from New Castle, PA was standing in the Barn with an ear to ear grin “I told you! I told you, you were gonna look around at the barn, look me- look around at the barn, look at me- and be speechless!”
The scale of it all, thousands of pristine, albeit dusty, wooden foundry patterns were stacked and piled floor to ceiling on the second floor of the 80’x40′ barn. It was incredible.
Chip was use to working in steel mills his entire life, where terms like “big” and “a lot” take on completely new meanings from the outside world. The scale of everything in the mills is magnitudes greater than ordinary objects.
I found my voice, “Let’s start moving.”
Photos by: Tim Hickman
FOR UPDATES CONTACT: Cory Bonnet at corybonnet@gmail.com
