Artists of Industry, Grit & War
Pat Benincasa
ABOUT MY INDUSTRIAL AMERICA PAINTINGS:
Artists tell stories—that’s what we do. Whether canvas, welded steel, textiles, glass, or everyday objects, the materials we use are only as important as the story told.
Who hasn’t driven past a partially demolished worksite or heard stories from a relative or grandparent who worked in the mills? These sites are more than steel and brick; they are monuments to a shared history, to the sweat and labor that built this nation.
Whether it’s the land that holds memory or the lingering energy of those who came before us, my creative expression finds its place in this collective recollection— of a memory that once shaped our national identity.
My work celebrates the iconic 20th-century industrial sites that not only built cities but also fueled the rise of the middle class. These were places that created thriving communities and wove together the economic and social fabric of our nation.
I grew up witnessing the decline of manufacturing—a loss that swept through cities like a catastrophic wave, leaving behind hollowed-out streets
and the ruins of once-great industries. Yet, I am drawn to these stories, the ones we’ve almost forgotten but that are deeply entwined with who we are.
Like a prospector sifting for gold, I dig through historical photos of worksites, searching for nuggets of truth, for possibility, for a way forward.
Republic Steel, Lackawanna Plant, Central Furnace Cleveland, The Rouge, Bethlehem Steel, to name a few—these industrial powerhouses and the people whose toil and sacrifice fueled that might, left a powerful legacy.
My paintings are a reminder of what we achieved in the past, not as something lost but to remind us of who we are. Those once-majestic steel yards, mills, and auto factories may stand in ruins, but they are in the DNA of this country.
My paintings are a tribute to that memory—a reminder that what is absent is not forgotten.
Meet the Artists
Richard Hahn
ARTIST’S STATEMENT:
In the early light of a clear morning in rural western New York, my newly widowed mother lifted me and my toddler brother into the cab of a moving van headed for Youngstown, Ohio—her hometown. It was 1954. As we ventured closer to our new home, the night sky began to glow, guiding us through an invisible portal into a surreal world where the sky seemed eternally ablaze with shades of orange, casting a warm hue against low-hanging clouds.
Youngstown was a steel town, enveloped in the orange glow that defined its atmosphere. I soon discovered that these vibrant skies symbolized stability for the men strolling down our street, carrying empty lunch pails, heading toward their modest homes, well-kept lawns, and awaiting families.
Orange embodies enthusiasm, creativity, and warmth, merging the fiery passion of red with the joy of yellow. This hue serves as the central theme of my poster project, representing the grit and determination of those who transformed raw pig iron into steel.
Through this exploration, I aim to blend visual elements that reflect both the shared experiences and contrasts within the lives of the men and women whose spirit and resilience contributed to this community’s character.
All the photographs featured in my collages are my own, many taken while working in local factories for clients for whom I created marketing materials and films. The historical images and artifacts were captured at the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry & Labor.
This Photographic art exhibit, “GRIT AND GLOW", juxtaposes the warmth of those vivid orange skies with the stark realities of industry, illustrating the paradox of beauty and hardship.
Sidney Rackoff
Ohio 83rd Infantry Division. While serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, he saw combat in France, Belgium, and Germany. He received a purple heart for his service. Citing his war experiences, he stated " The suffering of war has been troubling me ever since 1945," claiming not to be anti-war, just working to "show the suffering that war brings to people." Sid was also interested in " the response his work provokes, whether it is admiration or repulsion."
Visit the digital exhibit featuring these Artists below
Industrial America Paintings
8 Industrial Vignettes: River Rouge, 2014, Encaustic, oil paint, cement, marine varnish, 8- 6 x 6”” wood panels, 24” x 13”
I was inspired by Monet’s haystacks series of differing light conditions. The Rouge, once majestic in scale and production, here is shown in differing weather conditions.
Note: In 1915, this Ford Motor Plant was built along the River Rouge, West of Detroit. By 1927, The Rouge was the most fully integrated car manufacturing site in the world. 16 million square feet with 93 buildings. By 1930’s over 100,000 people worked there.
Lackawanna Ore Bridge, 2015. Encaustic, cement, wood, paint on sheet metal, 24” x 76” x 3”
The Lackawanna Steel Company began in 1840 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, before relocating to Lackawanna, New York, in 1902. Acquired by Bethlehem Steel in 1922, the plant employed over 20,000 workers during World War II and was once the world's fourth-largest steel mill. However, due to decreased demand for steel, the Bethlehem Steel Lackawanna Plant closed in 1983, resulting in 6,000 layoffs.
Gary Indiana, 2011, Encaustic, cement, wood, paint, rust on sheet metal, 48” x 48” x 2”
Ore Yard Pennsylvania, 2013, Encaustic, oil paint, cement, wood on sheet metal, 24” x 36” x 2”
There's something truly majestic about an ore bridge! It's where geometry, form, and function seamlessly merge into an industrial marvel.
Note: U.S. Steel Duquesne Works, Blast Furnace Plant, Along Monongahela River, Duquesne, Allegheny County, PA. This painting is inspired from the from Survey HAER PA-115-A photo taken by Jet Lowe.
Day Shift Sky, 2019, Encaustic, paint, wood, z-scale railroad track on sheet metal, 9” x 9” x 1”
Rubber City Akron, 2011
White ink, wood, z-scale train + RR tracks, tires on black Butyl rubber, 72.5” x 60.5” x 2”
Vehicle City Flint
Detailed relief sculpture depicting a city map with an arched bridge at the top. The sculpture features intricate lines representing the streets and landmarks, showcasing a sophisticated and urban aesthetic against a brick wall backdrop.
Blast Furnace #1, 2011, Encaustic, paint, wood, rust on sheet metal, 24” x 24” x 1.5,”
The Carrie Furnace, located along the Monogahela River –near Pittsburgh - in Rankin, Pennsylvania- (Homestead Steel Works.)
Built in 1907 -1978. Massive towers stood 92’ tall – produced 1,250 tons of iron a day during 1950’s-60’s. A Blast Furnace smelts (pulls base metals from ore) to make iron.
AC Delco Flint, 2012, Encaustic, oil paint, wood on sheet metal, 18” x 18” x 2”
I dont think I could have painted an AC spark plug in any more loving way than I did! (Sometimes, you just have to do a painting like this). It is my nod to Flint, Michigan.
Flint was once called "Vehicle City" in the first half of the 20th Century. AC Spark Plug Co. founded on October 26, 1908 by Albert Champion and Wm C. Durant in Flint, Michigan. In 1974, the division merged with GM's United Delco division, forming AC-Delco.
Detroit, 2010, Cement, rust, paint, encaustic on wood panel, 36” x 68” x 2.5”
Fence: Bethlehem Steel, 2018, Encaustic, paint, screws, marine varnish with scored lines for fencing on sheet metal, 12” x 13.25” x 0.75” Private Collection
This image is from Bethlehem Steel Co. Blast Furnaces in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. At the heart of my work is place as memory, reflecting a shared past that once acknowledged our national identity. It wasn’t enough to paint the industrial site, I poured marine varnish over the surface to make the image feel far away, and then scored deep lines into the sheet metal creating a fence. I wanted the scene to feel like a recollection.
Republic Steel, Ohio 2016, Encaustic, wood, cement, paint on sheet metal, 25” x 20” x 4”
Republic Steel Company Youngstown Works- Haselton Blast Furnace. Haselton is a neighborhood in Youngstown, Ohio. Its in an area where many blast furnaces operated along the Mahoning River.
Soudan Mine Minnesota, 2017, Encaustic, paint, wood, cement, on sheet metal, 29” x 20” x 2.”
The Soudan Mine, Minnesota's oldest, deepest, and richest iron mine was owned by US Steel and was active from 1901 to 1962. In the 1980’s University of Minnesota scientists developed the site for sensitive physics experiments and now hosts the Soudan Underground Laboratory.
Twin Cities Ford Assembly Plant, 2011-12, Encaustic, paint, wood, cement, on sheet metal, 48.5” x 12.5”
The Twin Cities Ford Assembly Plant opened in 1925 and closed on December 16, 2011. When it closed, I went there to take photos. I stood on the back of my truck with camera in hand. Security came running out, so I jumped in my truck and drove to Gate 2. Again, same thing, with security coming after me. Gates 3 and 4 were no different, BUT I had the photos I needed to make this painting! I went back to my studio and pieced photos for a "panoramic" view of the plant, which became this painting and is now a memory.
The person who purchased the painting, said he was taking it to show his grandfather who had worked at the plant most of his adult life. For an artist, it doesn't get better than that!
Ladder From Steel To Silence, 2018, 6 mixed media paintings on sheet metal in weathered ladder, 94” x14” 2.5.”
Stelco, Hamilton Ontario, 2011, Encaustic, oil paint, cement, wood, Z-scale RR track on sheet metal, 24” x 36,”
Note: Steel Company of Canada (Stelco) was founded in 1910. “In 2013, Stelco stopped producing steel at its Hamilton site, once considered the heart of the industry.”
Blast Furnace C-5 Cleveland, 2018, Mixed media on sheet metal, 9.5” x 8.75” x 0.75” Inspired by Viktor Macha
In this painting, I poured marine varnish over the finished painting, as if to age and color this furnace image back in time. Using Xacto knife, I scored little lines into the sheet metal to create a gentle glow topside of the structure. I then overlaid the words: "ArcelorMital Cleveland."
Inside Iron Sky- Duquesne Works, 2014, Encaustic, paint, wood, cement on sheet metal, 24” x 36” x 2.5”
Blast Furnace Bleeder Stack No. 5. A Bleeder Stack discharged gas in to the atmosphere from the dust collector. U.S. Steel Duquesne Works, Blast Furnace Plant, Along Monongahela River, Duquesne, Allegheny County, PA
Note: This painting is inspired from the from Survey HAER PA-115-A photo taken by Jet Lowe.
Packard Building Ten, 2013, Encaustic, paint, wood, cement, glass, 1929 Detroit Street Guide pages on panel, 30” x 36”
"Central Furnace Cleveland," 2018, Encaustic, wood, cement on sheet metal, 59" x 21.5" x 2"
The structured imagery “floats” on sheet metal panels below. Note: This painting is based on the 1910 photograph by Ralph A. Dise, showing the ore-handling plant at Central Furnace. What struck me is the magnificent, stocking trestle with a 238’ span that acts like a sentinel, keeping watch over the works.
Portal: Steubenville North Works, 2019, Mixed media on sheet metal, 12” x 13.25” x 0.75”
This work is available, contact artist for price.
These demolished worksites reside in our collective memories. We know what made here meant and to know this, is to understand who we are.
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel went into bankruptcy twice in 1985 and 2000. Esmark bought then sold the mills to Russian-based Severstal who idled the plant in 2009. 2011 RG Steel bought the plant then sold to Herman Strauss Inc. who demolished the facility in 2013.
Pat Benincasa
Grit & Glow
Richard Hahn
Before I Die
Time Cards
Thumbs Up
Brier Hill
Gears
Hard Hats
9_19_77
Sparks
Night Shift
Goggles and Hard Hats
Suspended
Leonard
Pay Stub
USWA
Everybody Breathing Dirt
The Life and Art of Sidney Rackoff
A soldier, steel worker, small business owner, religious leader, and an artist: Sid Rackoff, lived a full life and his art echoes these roles. Born in 1919, Sid enlisted in Ohio 83rd infantry Division. While serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, he saw combat in France, Belgium, and Germany. He received a Purple Heart for his service.
Citing his war experiences, he stated “ The suffering of war has been troubling me ever since 1945,” claiming not to be anti-war, just working to “show, the suffering that war brings to people.”
Sid was also interested in “…the response his work provokes, whether it is admiration or repulsion.”
The sculptures were donated by the Rackoff Family, Three of them guard the entrance to YSUs Parking Lot of the Museum. They are thought to recognize the horrors of war. “We Could’ve Been Brothers” represents two soldiers locked into combat, one man fighting for ideology against his own brother fighting for the other side.
Opposite of these, and the ideology of war, the “ Sunshine Girl” depicts the joys of new life awaiting her embrace in a world without conflict.
