News Article

Student’s work of art is also a labour of love


7/21/2011 9:30:21 AM


Erin Power welded this tree titled ‘Through Hardship to the Stars’ for the front entrance at the College of the North Atlantic’s Prince Philip Drive Campus.

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Most people might not immediately see the connection between art and welding, but for Erin Power, it’s simple.

“With the money I earn in my trade I can buy the materials I need to work on my art,” she says matter-of-factly. “I knew as a welder I could earn a lot of money.”

Power’s passion for art goes way back to when she was a child, growing up in Conception Bay South and later Kilbride. By the time she was a young adult, she had several public art projects to her credit, and was also making jewelry, despite the fact that she doesn’t have any formal art training.

Living in St. John’s and selling her jewelry at a shop downtown, Power found herself struggling to make ends meet. When she went looking for a more stable source of income, she found the Welder program at College of the North Atlantic. She also found an opportunity to combine her newly acquired skills with her artistic talents.

In the process of registering Power for the program, Departmental Program Coordinator Wanda Flannigan asked her why she was interested in welding.
“I told her ‘for artistic reasons’ because I would like to make giant metal sculptures,” Power says. “Eventually I’d like to get into casting and doing bronze statues.”

When Flannigan suggested her first piece of welded art could be displayed in the lobby at the college’s Prince Philip Drive campus, Power chose to create a tree.

The tree has always been a symbol of knowledge and learning and that’s what the college is all about,” she says. “Being an educational institution everyone there is very supportive and wants to see you grow toward your goal.”

Working after class for several weeks, Power crafted a 10 foot tall steel tree, and titled it “Through Hardship to the Stars.” It features a plaque inscribed with a dedication to her close friend Eugene Upshall, who passed away last year.

“I was thinking about him a lot throughout the year of my education. He was a huge inspiration for me and he also loved trees and nature, and spent a lot of time in the woods.”

Now that Power is finished her welding program, she has some advice for women who are considering a career in the trades.

“I don’t think there should be any ‘non-traditional trades’ - it’s ridiculous in this day and age that any sort of barriers should be put up for anybody who wants to do anything in this world,” she says. “I realize that women haven’t been present in this trade, but only because nobody told them it was a viable option for them. I would fully encourage anyone of any sex, of any background to just go for it and do what you want to do.”

College of the North Atlantic still has openings in its Welder and Welding Engineering Technician programs at several campuses throughout the province.

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Media Contact:
Gina MacArthur
Public Relations Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
Ph: 709-643-7928
gina.macarthur@cna.nl.ca