Visiting Artist Reception & Open Studio: David Marquez

Join us for open studios as we celebrate the newly completed work by our recent Visiting Artist-in-Residence, David Marquez. The reception will be held at Sloss Furnaces in the No.2 Casting Shed. Park in the Visitor Center parking lot and head directly into the historic shed across from the Visitor Center!

This event is free and open to the public, but please RSVP to let us know you'll be there! 

*Emails are only for RSVP's to track attendance numbers and provide updates for this event. If you'd like to receive emails about Sloss Metal Arts events, please subscribe at the bottom of the page!

About David: 

David was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and raised primarily in the rural farm areas of the Commonwealth. He is an explorer and maker of things. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Western Kentucky University in 1998 and a Master of Fine Arts in sculpture from the University of Iowa in 2003. He retired from teaching as an associate professor of sculpture in 2024 to pursue a stronger studio practice and enhance his technical prowess in art making and fabrication.

In 2025, he was invited as a resident artist at Buffalo Creek Artist Center, where he focused on building a large-scale outdoor sculpture installed at the Art Center in Gardnerville, Nevada. His work has been exhibited in national exhibitions throughout the East Coast and the Midwest of the United States of America. He has shown internationally in group exhibitions in Australia, South Korea, and Germany.

David’s art practice revolves around the observation of obsessive systems. He is inspired by a diversity of realms, including our environment, biology, social constructs, and human existence. These systems serve as a foundation and subject matter of his work, embodying the intricate concepts and interconnections he discovers. David utilizes materials and forms as conduits to comprehend and interpret the underlying patterns that shape our world.

Computer-aided design, 3D printing, moldmaking, metal casting, and a variety of fabrication methods are central to his expression. He is captivated by the labor-intensive and meticulous nature of the process. The grind of the work itself and the sense of community surrounding it foster a place of focus, meditation, and contemplation of our humanity. The process, from inception to completion, fuels his creative drive. Each step, from pattern making and mold creation to metal pouring, fabrication, and finishing, becomes an introspective practice.