what usually come to mind when arts and crafts are involved, sparks and flames and metal can also be art.

Among the classes offered on campus there are also courses such as welding that incorporate art.

“Certain metals can be distorted and stretched,” Renee Newell, welding instructor, said. “Because of this, I like to show the students the more creative side of welding.”

When attending her courses, students are presented with a different approach in welding that takes them away from the thought of simply fusing metal together.

Through these courses, students learn how to express their emotions through Newell’s “Heart” project.

The “Heart” project is used to test the welding student’s skills of creativity with the use of some project materials provided for them.

“This project allows students to learn about control when it comes to heating the metal, how to identify different types of metals and which rods they need to use in order to get the result they are looking for,” Newell said.

She said showing students this side of welding could also surprise students, especially since welding is viewed as more ‘macho’ or masculine kind of skill.

“Personally, from my experience in welding, there are two forms of welders,” Eddie Rodriguez, 39, undecided major, said. “The first one I consider them classical welders who build buildings and bridges, which are structural; the second are the romantic welders.”

He said he refers to romantic welders as naïve welders who are not formally trained, yet display a certain knowledge of how to construct or build from within their hearts.

“I always like to see the moment when students can recognize the weld puddle, the joint where two metals can connect,” Newell said.

While metal may be melted together, it could also mold students into beginning some experience through welding.

“At first, when they get into the class, they can’t see it because they have never done this before,“ Newell said. “But that moment when they actually see it for the first time is great, because then you know that they can control and shape the metal which makes the ‘Heart’ project a lot easier for them.”

Amelia Soto, 20, arts major, may have been surprised when she heard the welding department is focusing on what may be considered a more delicate side of a utilitarian skill.

“I thought the welding students will only be focusing more on the career side of welding, or more mechanical,” Soto said. “I thought they’d be focusing on the basics.”

Although students like Soto may not have expected welding to have an artistic side to it, the welding courses prove otherwise.

The course offers more than an artistic view to welding as well as requires students to brainstorm various ideas as to how they may want to add art into their welding structures or figures.

Newell said it gives her students a sense of confidence in the accomplishment of their skill levels as welders.

For students like Krista Williams, 18, arts major, an artistic approach to welding comes as no surprise.

“My dad is a welder, and I’ve always seen it as an art,” Williams said.

Williams said that although welding may be considered a functional activity, it is also a form of art.

Some students who have a history in art like Vicente Lara, 21, computer science major, may even show interest in how art and welding can be incorporated together.

“I used to draw a lot,” Lara said. “Although I don’t have much time to draw, I would like to see more sculptures: especially metal sculpting.”

While the course may capture some interest of those related to the field of art, welding may require more than artistic knowledge.

“The art depends on how the person is; how they are, what they like, and their knowledge of welding and skill,” Rodriguez said.

He said the way a person creates a sculpture to weld also depends on their knowledge of how to use the equipment and material that he or she choses to use.

“Art is welding and welding is art,” Rodriguez said. “You have to have knowledge from both sides because they go hand in hand.”

He said he views welding as an unlimited art form since various forms of art can take shape through melting metal.

“In welding, you can fuse any kind of metal together,” Rodriguez said.  “That is the beauty of art in welding.”