Beyond The Boiler

River House Arts

November 15, 2025 - January 17, 2026

“When I was young, I spent a lot of time climbing inside huge boilers at my family’s greenhouse business. I would lie face down on the steel tubes washing out the slag and the scale, repairing refractory where needed. It was a dark, rusty place, filled with echoes. It was my favorite job. After starting the boiler, the 250-horsepower blower would wind up and the massive burner would ignite, shaking the room. As the water turned to steam, the steel header hammered and the whole place warmed up. It was visceral, primeval, it felt alive, and I understood it. That boiler is still in my bones when I walk into the studio. I hope that my work contains some of that spirit as it moves into the world as sculpture or painting.” - John Balistreri