BURLINGTON, N.C. — Emily and Casey Lewis operate a hugely successful business called Beechwood Metalworks where they make everything from giant dragons to decorative garden art.
“This is like our calling card,” said Emily, pointing at artwork in their gallery Owl & Rabbit. “We like driving around and seeing our work in people’s yards.”
Emily grew up around a metal shop. She and Casey met in art school, they fell in love with metal sculpture and each other, but their business was something they never expected.
“Casey made an 8-foot-tall flower for our yard,” said Emily, and that lead to project after project.
Today their creations are installed across the country.
“We thought, ‘Let’s do an interaction sculpture,’” Emily said. “We can really draw people in.”
They came up with a giant heart designed to allow people to attach locks to it.
“If you are dedicating something to a loved, a lock is something that symbolizes eternal love,” Casey said. “The neat thing is Burlington was founded on Valentine’s Day, so all the pieces seem to fit.”
On Valentine’s Day the couple is donating a giant heart to the city and allowing anyone to attach a lock.
The “Love Lock Sculpture” installation is happening Thursday at 6 p.m. in the courtyard between the Blend Coffee Shop and Steam Junction on East Front Street.