Editor's note: This article was co-written with Madison Loven.

Join us August 11th for the grand opening of Sacramento’s newest gallery, Rossi Sculptural Designs Studio. Clad humbly in corrugated metal, the mid-sized studio sits inconspicuously in a warehouse district in midtown. In it you’ll find metal pieces of all shapes and sizes, colored glass pieces, hand tools, and various machines with which to manipulate the mediums. It is an artist’s playground. And according to its owner, there is an artist in everyone, even if they don’t know it.

Run by local artist and sculptural bike rack extraordinaire, Gina Rossi, this gallery is also a school for learning how to fuse glass and weld metal. Gina says that teaching MIG sculptural welding and fused glass classes in her 20th and S Street Midtown urban studio allows her to connect with the community and keep the magical journey of art alive. Her goal is to inspire Sacramentans to tell their stories through creating community public art sculptures for all to enjoy.

Gina’s work dots the midtown landscape. She specialized in creating one-of-a-kind sculptural art bicycle racks. You may have seen Gina’s fierce dragon bike rack on 12th and R Street. Or perhaps you’ve read about her latest creations for the Sutter District, but have you seen her perform a live sculptural jam performance, where music-driven kinetic masterpieces are created before your eyes? Don’t miss this opportunity to observe the art of plasma cutting then experience the thrill of welding first-hand!

Gina has also invited several of her colleagues to display various mediums to mark this special occasion. One of the more known artists, Jerrod Mays, from French Camp, CA, will be showing his Lodi Community Art Center's 50th Annual Spring Art Show Best of Show piece, “Crazy Legs,” a four-and-a-half-feet tall metal spider made from an old air compressor and “It’s Complicated,” his larger-than-life sculpture octopus, which received an Award of Merit at the 2012 California State Fair.

Sacramento native, Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CWO3), Tony R. Ulep, will showcase metallic photograph prints of his many deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. The photographs explore the fascinating cultures, architecture, landscapes, and blazing sunrises and sunsets of the Middle East.

Do you have some creativity of your own to unleash? Well come and observe the art of plasma cutting then experience the thrill of welding first-hand or join in painting on our canvass wall mural, created for the community, by the community.

Rossi Sculptural Designs regularly presents an opportunity for other playful spirits to come manipulate the elements wielding fire against steel and glass. Sculptural welding classes are held the first and third week of the month, and fused glass classes are offered the second and fourth weeks. Visit facebook.com/rossisculpturaldesigns like the page and then click on “Promos” under the timeline to get $50 off any beginners welding or fused glass class, but hurry, the promotion ends August 31, 2012.

For more information, contact rossisculpturaldesigns@gmail.com
Rossi Sculptural Designs
1801 20th Street
Sacramento, CA 95811