Guns to Art: Iron Pour Friday Night At Elliott Street Deli & Pub - 51 Elliott Street, Atlanta, GA

ATLANTA - Aug. 11, 2017 - PRLog -- The Fulton County Sheriff's Office is teaming up with Atlanta Metal Arts and the Elliott Street Pub to artistically destroy weapons collected during the Gun Buyback held in June. Business owner Michael Jakob and Atlanta Metal Arts coordinate an iron pour monthly at his pub.  On Friday evening, metal artist Patrick Toups will create artwork using liquid iron heated to 5,000° to pour over and into the weapons.  The guns will be disabled and the artwork will be auctioned at a later date to benefit charity.

The iron pour begins at 8 p.m.  As you can imagine, this will be very visual.  Several of the best handguns and long guns were selected for the project. The artwork will be large pieces that will be suitable for hanging on a wall. The goal is to create pieces that weigh no more than 80-100 pounds each.  The artist has already constructed frames into which the hot iron will be poured. The iron hardens with a textured, black appearance and the firearms will be embedded within the creation. Some pieces may consist of 2 or more weapons that are similar to create unique works.  Each piece will be numbered.

WHAT:   Guns to Art: Iron Pour

WHO:   Atlanta Metal Arts, Elliott Street Deli & Pub, S.A.V.E. (Stopping Atlanta Violence Effectively), and the Fulton County Sheriff's Office

WHEN:          Friday, August 11, 2017, 8 p.m.

WHERE:       Elliott Street (http://www.elliottstreet.com/) Deli & Pub, 51 Elliott Street, S.W., Atlanta, GA 30313


Background:

The Gun Buyback led to the collection of hundreds of weapons. The remaining guns will be melted down per usual protocols. The Buyback was coordinated by Stopping Atlanta Violence Effectively, (S.A.V.E.), a community based group that includes the Atlanta Police Department, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office, the Chaplaincy for the Fulton County Sheriff's Office, and Metro Atlanta churches. This committee began raising funds 18 months ago to sponsor a Gun Buyback project aimed at getting more firearms off the Atlanta streets.

S.A.V.E. founder Dr. R.L. White is a former president of the Atlanta Branch of the NAACP, and pastor for 47 years at Mount Ephraim Baptist Church. Dr. White has been adamant about assisting people who recognize that guns are a threat to young children in homes and that weapons are too easily acquired on the streets. The Gun Buyback gave owners the opportunity to turn in weapons for a stipend. Dr. White stresses that his organization does not oppose responsible ownership of guns.