2025 Arts on Fire Festival June 7 & 8 The Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum and Iron Furnaces presents the 2025 Arts on Fire Festival! Saturday, June 7 | 11am - 5pm ~ hands-on activities ~ artist and craft vendors ~ THE IRON POUR ~ Youth Arts Showcase ~ live music by Don Shappelle & the Pickups and more!) Sunday, June 8 | 11am - 2pm ~ artist and craft vendors ~ Workshops (genealogy, tin type photography, blacksmithing ****Pre-registration is required for workshops. Sign up now.**** Learn more here: https://www.anthracitemuseum.org/event/2025-arts-on-fire-festival/ (fb)

The sculpture was made by Carbondale native Frank "WYSO" Wysochansky at some point in the 1970's and shows two boys; one cracking coal and the second boy sifting coal ash for unburnt coals; a common practice among residents of anthracite coal communities. Frank "WYSO" Wysochansky was one of 12 children born to Ukrainian immigrants. His father was killed in a mining accident when WYSO was 21 and his work often depicts mining and ethnic scenes from the area or from stories shared to him by others. The sculpture reflects Wyso's emotional connection to his family's anthracite heritage. From 1955 to 1972 WYSO was a freelance cartoonist for the United Mine Workers Journal. "WYSO" was frugal and eccentric and from neighbors he would collect recycled materials such as broken crayons, old paints, bondo, and scraps of wood or burlap sacks for his paintings and sculptures. This particular piece is made from chicken wire, toilet paper, glue, and paint. Anthracite Heritage Museum collection; AC2023.18.1 (fb)