Marana welding students help public art sculpture take flight

Thanks to a group of Marana High School welding students and a local artist, Marana Regional Airport will be home to an original work of public art.

The students — Brayden Riggs, a recent graduate, Gabriel Arenenti and Brandon Gilbert, both seniors — and artist Trevor O’Tool were selected by Transportation Art By Youth to create a sculpture at the entrance of Marana’s airport.

The group works with young artists to work alongside a professionals to create public art around metro Tucson.

Though visuals of the welded sculpture being crafted by the Marana group is under wraps, Arenenti described it as “a huge airplane statue in which two planes are facing away from each other with air streams following the wings of the planes, which also act as the supports.”

O’Tool said, “This project is unique to Marana because of how it represents the historical airport.”

According to the Town of Marana’s website, two years after the United States joined World War II military efforts, the Marana Regional Airport was one of the satellite airfields or “landing mats” serving the nearby Marana Air Base (Pinal Airpark).

“During World War II, the U.S. Army Air Force trained in the North American AT-6 ‘Texan,’” the website states. “Later in military history, during the Korean War, the US Air Force pilots in Marana were trained in the North American T-28 ‘Trojan’ aircraft.”

“The cockpit window is a clear tell-tail sign that depicts the specific shape of a T-6/T-28,” O’Tool said of the sculpture.

O’Tool designed the sculpture, which was fabricated by the students. Student Aleksandria Gabbard also contributed to the project but was unable to participate in its full course.

Arenenti said he’s learned a lot from his involvement.

“This project has taught me a lot not only (about) welding but responsibility in a work environment, good communication skills and quick thinking and to always be ready to change,” he said.

Gilbert said he’s been able to fine-tune his welding skills by contributing to the sculpture.

“Working on this project has spread my awareness of the tidiness and the work required to build such an eye-catcher,” Gilbert said.

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O’Tool said there is always a “learning curve” for students at the beginning of a project “to understand where they can excel, how we can work in harmony and develop the best possible result for the soon-to-be-unveiled project.”

Marana High School welding teachers Mario Favela and Brett Fischer also added their expertise to the project.

Favela said that watching the students “has been incredibly rewarding. The dedication and enthusiasm they bring to their work are inspiring. Seeing them overcome challenges and develop their skills has been a testament to the value of vocational education.

“The pride they take in contributing to their community is evident in every weld and cut they make.”

Arenenti called Favela “an amazing teacher and instructor on this project.”

Arenenti said the resident artist also prioritized “allowing us students to get the most beneficial experience and skill out of this project.”

“All of the participating students can now confidently say they have the skills of fabricators and artists along with being skilled welders,” O’Tool said.

This isn’t O’Tool’s first foray into welding with Marana High. He also worked with the school’s welding program for the deer at Tangerine Sky Park nearly a decade ago.

“When I saw the recent call to artists, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try and be a part of another project for Marana,” he said.

The project is slated for completion by the end of August, Favela said. The town plans to host a ribbon cutting for the big reveal, said Allison Benjamin, communications director for the school district. The date of the event has yet to be determined.

“The community can come together to celebrate the students’ achievements and the unveiling of the sculpture,” Favela said. He said the event will help “highlight the collaborative effort and showcase the talent and hard work of Marana High School’s welding students.”

O’Tool said he gets excited, but a bit nervous, when his art is unveiled.

“This project is an especially exciting one because of the students involved,” he said. “They gain a sense of pride and gratitude knowing that they had a hand in building some part of Marana’s landscape for years to come, along with being able to say, ‘I built that.’”