Art: a casting's second purpose.

Some artists find their inspiration in beautiful scenery with rolling mountains and vast countryside. Others look to objects in their everyday life, whether it is a group of people or simply a bowl of fruit. Kim Christiansen found his inspiration looking at a cast manhole cover.

"Someone told me about a guy who did brass rubbings from churches, but I wasn't really interested in that," said Christiansen. "The next day though, I noticed a manhole cover and became very intrigued by its designs. A week later, I went out searching for covers and began rubbing."

In order to produce these pieces, Christiansen tapes paper over the cast cover and then rubs it with graphite. This can take anywhere from one to three hours, depending on the nature and placement of the cover. After that, Christiansen uses various coloring tools to add the color to the piece.

"The worn patina of the metal, the combined textures of it and the surrounding surface, and the design of the casting all intrigue me," he said. "I think of the designer who sat before the blank page, the casting team who gave life to his design and the development of the technology that gave rise for its need. These covers are the iron flowers in the asphalt meadows of my artistic discovery."