Brandon students’ sculpture joins art gallery in Italy

A welded sculpture of a bear, created by two high school students in Brandon, has earned international recognition after being admitted into the International Institute of Welding’s 2025 Digital Collection during its sixth edition of the global online art gallery held last week in Genoa, Italy.

The sculpture, “The Bear,” is the work of Lynden Gould and Danek West, who created it as Grade 12 welding students at Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School. Their project was selected as one of only three Canadian entries in this year’s collection, which features welded artwork from across the globe, including the United States, Ukraine and Bulgaria.

The piece, made entirely from scrap metal, stands 60 centimetres high, spans 110 cm in length, and measures 65 cm in width.

It was developed as part of a class initiative to showcase local wildlife through art installations along the walking trails at the Riverbank Discovery Centre in Brandon, Gould said.

“We were given a bin full of scrap metals and told to build something cool,” Gould said. “My partner and I went online and saw a metal bear sculpture that we liked. We thought we could make one even better, so we gave it a try.”

What began as a class assignment quickly evolved into an ambitious three-week project, with the students dedicating nearly 20 hours to meticulously assembling the sculpture. According to Gould, the process was filled with trial and error as they scoured the workshop for the right shapes and materials to fit the bear’s form.

“There were a lot of challenges,” he said. “Sometimes you don’t have the piece you need, so you improvise. It took a lot of effort to get everything to line up just right. But we were determined to improve it every day.”

Their efforts paid off. When the Canadian Welding Association contacted Crocus welding instructor Jamie Irwin about contributing to the International Institute of Welding digital gallery, which this year focused on biodiversity and animals, Irwin immediately thought of “The Bear.”

“We had the photography class take professional shots of the sculpture,” Irwin said. “We submitted those along with a student write-up, and the piece was accepted. It’s now featured in a digital gallery based in Genoa, which is incredible.”

Irwin said the idea to incorporate student artwork into the community came from a visit to Banff’s Art Walk trail, which inspired him to launch a similar initiative in Brandon. He partnered with Dean Hammond, executive director of the Riverbank Discovery Centre, to bring the vision to life.

“We walked the trail last fall and discussed how we could bring this kind of public art experience to our local environment,” said Irwin. “The students chose an animal theme and worked in teams to create sculptures that would be displayed for the community.”

Hammond said he was immediately on board with the project.

“Coincidentally, I had just walked the Banff trail the week before Jamie contacted me,” he said. “These pieces are beautiful, and the students’ craftsmanship rivals what we saw in Banff. We’re thrilled to be hosting them at the Discovery Centre.”

Having “The Bear” accepted into an international gallery is a proud moment, not just for the students but for the city as well, Hammond added.

“To have an artwork that was made here, with local inspiration, now recognized internationally — it’s really special,” he said.

For Gould, the recognition is deeply personal and affirming.

“It means the world,” he said. “For someone like me, who’s just finishing high school, to have my work seen across the world — it’s hard to put into words.”

Looking ahead, Gould plans to play Junior A hockey before eventually pursuing a career in welding in college. “This project is a step toward my dream of becoming a professional welder,” he said.

And “The Bear?” It’s more than just metal welded together. Hidden details — like a movable jaw and a spinning internal chain — reveal the careful thought and craftsmanship behind the piece.

“You don’t always see the little things at first,” Gould said. “But they’re there. We made sure of that.”

The success of this year’s project has sparked plans to continue the initiative in coming years. Irwin hopes it inspires more students to take pride in their work — and their city.

“Giving students the chance to create something that stays in their community and is admired by the public — it’s a powerful motivator,” the instructor told the Sun. “Now, with international eyes on their work, it’s even more meaningful.”

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