In a cascade of fire and sparks, a 3,000 pound clay structure of a church steeple was unveiled Saturday night along the Middle Fork of the Crow River in downtown New London.
The sculpture, which was built with slabs of clay by local potters and volunteers, was surrounded by on-site kiln that was tended 24-hours a day for four days in order to reach 2,000 degrees. After the kiln was removed, potters threw sawdust and Borax onto the glowing red-hot sculpture that created a glaze on the exterior surface.
The project was part of the town’s Riverspace project and their 150th anniversary that’s being celebrated through a variety of activities this year. (CAROLYN LANGE | TRIBUNE)
