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FeedMetal with Honor
By Amy Farrar
Photo by ERIC MOORE
Elias has worked with metal since she graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. degree in studio and commercial art 13 years ago. Since then, she has made a lasting impact on the local art scene. She was one of the founding members of Art-A-Whirl, an open-studio and gallery tour hosted by Northeast Minneapolis artists. She is also a member of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association and the American Blacksmithing Association.
Much of Elias’s work—her gates, garden benches, birdbaths, and trellises—seem almost as natural as the outdoor spaces they adorn. Botanic elements, leaves, and scrollwork entwine her candleholders, light fixtures, fences, and railings. She never struggles when searching for inspiration. “It’s just a natural part of who I am,” she says. “Lots of things inspire me, like nature and pretty things.”
Elias’s handiwork can be found at the Crema Café in Minneapolis, where she created the grillwork that sits beneath three arches in the café’s outdoor patio. The grillwork has a decidedly Art Nouveau feel with its curving, flowing lines. “Seeing my work in public places and [experiencing] the longevity of it are the most satisfying aspects of my work,” she says.
Elias enjoys creating large-scale pieces. Her Stream of Trailing Reeds is a 400-foot metal fence at the entrance to the Loring Park Bikeway that displays flowing cattails and, of course, reeds. She also fashioned a frame to hold up one of her larger works—a 300-pound, three-tiered metal chandelier for a home in Cross Lake. Even at that size, the curly structure that connects the three tiers of the chandelier adds a feminine touch that tempers the rustic feel of the piece. Elias also creates smaller one-of-a-kind home furnishings, such as candelabras, gardening tools, and marshmallow holders.
Elias’s work is on display through April 8 at Grand Hand Gallery in St. Paul. She will also be a participant in the Minneapolis Art-A-Whirl in May.
Amy Farrar is a freelance writer in Mound.
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