Course Schedule: Sculpture 1

Sculpture 1- Project list and course schedule

Skill Builders- suggestions of things to make in the wood shop that will build skills and allow you to perform advanced operations with the shop equipment. 

Push Stick for table saw (made with bandsaw)

Circle Cutting Jig for bandsaw (made with table saw, mitre saw, and drill press)

circle sanding jig for disk sander (made with table saw, mitre saw, and drill press)

Fence w/stop block for drill press (made with table saw, mitre saw, and drill press)

Cross cut mitre sled for table saw (completed)

box joint jig for table saw (made with table saw and mitre saw)

Required Projects-

Wood Joinery- Box. Due Feb 7th. 

You will design and construct a box for an object that fits in your hand. Steps include choosing an object to make a box for, drawing details plans with measurements and three sets of drawings: Top/Bottom, Sides, Front/Back. Box will be made from solid woods or appropriate plywood. You must finish both the inside and outside of your box. 

Armature/Structure (two-part project)
A- Skeleton. Due Feb 21st. 
Using appropriate construction techniques for the materials you choose, create a sculpture that will also function as an armature for your next piece. Your design must be free-standing and be tall enough to walk under/through (6ft clearance). It can not touch any walls or ceiling. Materials suggestions include: wood, pipe/tubing, heavy gauge wire, plastic, sheet goods, bamboo/organic material, etc.

Purpose- to learn construction techniques for building stable, weight-bearing structures. To explore the role of armature in additive sculpture as an establisher of form and a structural component. 

Assessment- craftsmanship, quality of construction, addressing problem/following directions, creativity. 

Note: High quality documentation will be necessary as this project will be lost with the creation of the next one. 

B- Skin. Due March 7th. 
Using only additive processes, you will create a new sculpture that builds onto the structure you created in the Skeleton project. Nothing may be removed from the Skeleton project. Materials are open. 

Material Dualism (equal and opposite). Due March 21st
Two pieces in opposition made from the same materials. Using form and context to transform the communicative qualities of material. Understanding the limits and potentials of material as a communicative tool. 

Context- time/space/culture. Due April 4th

You will make a form that considers time, space and culture as integral to its communicative value. There are no restrictions in terms or size or materials. Documentation of work must be fully considered. 

Open Ended. Due April 18th (Final Critique)
This final project is open. There are no limitations. What will you do when no one is asking you? Assessment- craftsmanship, creativity, intentionality/resolve. 

Artist Research Project (Presentation schedule TBD)

10 minute multi-media presentation.
Tracing back through the development of an actively working artist who is currently represented by a top global commercial gallery. 

You will choose an artist by searching the rosters of top producing commercial galleries that show the work of living artists. Find a gallery through the participating galleries list on Art Basel. Your research will be directed at the development of the artist's practice with regards to their commercial success. Pay close attention to relationships- collectors, galleries, museums, arts institutions, family/circle of friends, etc. 

Draw mind map/diagram connecting the artist's professional relationships. 

Introduce Artist's process and output. Give info on latest shows/sales. 

Post presentation to your blog. 

Note:  If any changes are made to this schedule, all students will be notified in advance. 

Research: What is Scupture? Due Tue. Jan 24th

Please read through this website and think of it terms of the discussion we had last class on the Krauss text.

What is sculpture? 

Here are a few other links to get you thinking:

A nice little animation about sculpture basics- from the St. Louis Art Museum.

Some basics about sculpture in Western art- from the Getty Museum.

A more technical, but still brief, overview of sculpture- from the University of Chicago.

Assignment 1: ART3711C- Path of Inquiry. Statement of Intent and material studies. Due Tuesday, Jan. 24th

ART3711C- Materials and Methods Only

Introduction

For this assignment you will establish a path of inquiry that you will follow through the whole semester. Your Path of Inquiry will begin by choosing three materials to study, determining how to research and learn about each of them, researching artists (historical and contemporary) who have worked with these materials, and developing a way to respond to your findings through your sculptural work (experimentation and art-making). You will be following the steps below. I will send a google form to help you organize your responses.

Steps

1. Choose three specific materials to study. 
Note: At least two of the materials must be new to you- meaning that you have not previously worked with them to make art. Examples of materials can be as direct as "wood" or as fluid as "things that float". 

2. Find sources to research and study of each material. 
List at least three specific sources per material to begin your research. Your research must extend beyond internet searches to include books and or articles/journals, and consider the following aspects of each material:

• Historical (where it comes from)
• Practical/technical (how to manipulate/use it)
• Cultural (our relationship to it) 

3. Research Methods of using the materials. 

• Artist List- Choose at least 6 specific artists who's practice includes an investigation of the materials you have decided to focus on. You will research their approach towards these materials in their own art practice. At least two artitst for each material. The artists can overlap across material lists, but you have to end up with six artists total. At least two of them need to be living, working artists. 
• Technical List- List two places you can research to find more ways of working with your materials. These can be businesses, manufacturers, craftspeople, etc. 

4. Establish your goals- technical and communicative

In a few sentences, establish a real and attainable goal for this semester with regards to the materials you have selected and what you hope to do with them. 

One paragraph for your technical goals.

One paragraph for your communicative goals.

FOR CLASS

Material Studies- 3 materials and 15 examples to manipluate them. 

Please bring in samples of the three materials you will be investigating this semester along with at least five different ways to manipulate each one. 

Material Culture- how the material communicates

Write a bullet-point/list of the different ways your materials communicate in culture. On list for each. Be as thorough as possible and base it on your research. 

Sketches of three distinct ideas-

Bring in three detailed and developed sketches for options for three different forms you would like to make this semester. 

First Project

Your first actual sculpture project will be assigned in the next blog post. It requires that you follow through with these steps. 

Research and Preparation for Next Class. Due Jan 17th

Preparation for January 17th @ 9am:

1. Sculpture in the Expanded Field

Please read the Krauss text sent via email and answer the prompts I will send you via google worksheets tomorrow. I suggest highlighting some things that stand out to you in text, and looking up any terms/references you are not familiar with.  

Response (10 points): 

-What would have been so problematic about the classification of these artists'  works at the time it they were made?

-This text was written in the late 1970's. How may we find ourself in a similar situation today written regards to identifying/cataloguing and understanding current creative practice? 

-Of the object-oriented "sculptural" work being made today, what type of work do you find most challenging to accept or understand?

We will spend the first 30 mins of class discussing this. Please come prepared to share your thoughts. Bring some notes to help you communicate your ideas.

2. Bring a new work to share
Bring in a new work to share that fits into what you define as sculptural practice. There are only three limitations:

New- must be made now for this class. Nothing for another class or anything made last semester. It's fine if it's something you started working on during winter break.

Object World- The pice must relate to sculptural practice. It can not be traditional 2-D work or straight film. How it relates needs to be explainable by you.

3. Discussion on Work brought in for show and tell.
In your opinion, what are the most successful aspects of the work?
In your opinion, what are the areas you most need to grow that were evidenced in the creation and presentation of this piece?
In general, what are the most successful aspects of your current practice? Areas of greatest opportunity for growth?

Curatorial Process-
For the last hour of the class we will go to the NWSA gallery to peek into the curatorial process for mounting a show. In this case, the Sculpture Alumni exhibit. 

Welcome- Sculpture I, Material & Methods

Welcome all current students in ART2701C [Sculpture I] and ART3711C [Sculpture: Materials & Methods].

Today, you will receive an email from me with the syllabus. Please be sure to follow this blog by entering your email address in the lower right-hand area of this page.

I will be posting your first project shortly. Don't forget to come properly dressed (no loose clothing and thick shoes) and prepared to work on Tue., Jan 17th.

Email with your first artist presentation. Next week, I will be presenting the first artist as an example for you. I will also set up a schedule for your presentations.