PROJECTS IN CLAY 2011: August 2011

Studioscopic: Kukuli Velarde from David S Kessler on Vimeo.
http://www.kukulivelarde.com/site/HOME.html
Hello All!

Below you will find links to important documents for the Projects in Clay class.
Please click HERE for the Syllabus and weekly calendar.
Some notes about supplies can be found here.

For our first week's discussion, we will talk about the first two assignments;
Project #1: Metamorphosis and Project #2: Hybrid Forms.
Below, please find some artists that we will examine and discuss in class.
Please re-visit the slide shows as you continue to work on your projects. Click on the links provided. These will direct you to several video biographies, articles and artist statements that are required viewing/reading for class discussion and development of your individual research project.

CLASS 1: 8/31/11
Demo: Slab, pinch, and coil building / hollowing out a solid construction
Assign: Students will develop a progression of five or more forms that "morph" from organic to machine made, or conversely.

HOMEWORK DUE
Class 2: 9/7/2011
Design one Hybrid Form
Based on exploration of the ﬁve forms progression and further research, students will design a "hybrid form."
Please bring a quality drawing of the proposed form, formatted to hang, to class on 9/8/10.
The drawings will be hung for discussion, so ideas can be refined and building techniques discussed.
We will review 5 forms that demonstrate a progression from organic to machine made.
Consider the following: content, form development, rotation axis and mass.

PROJECT #1
Metamorphosis:
This exercise will introduce students to various building techniques and to push the boundaries of what clay will "do." It is intended to prepare students for construction of larger objects.
Students will begin with one inorganic object and morph it into an organic object in five or more stages. (Think about making a mold of one or more of the resulting objects for later use.)

Below are some examples.

Metamorphosis: Student Work

Nicolas Lampert

PROJECT #2
Hybrid Forms
Reading Assignment:
Jack Thompson: The Well of Myth, Glenn R. Brown

Beth Cavener Stichter

MATERIALS and TECHNIQUES
http://www.followtheblackrabbit.com/

Brendan Lee Satish Tang

http://brendantang.com/

Project #5:
INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH PROJECT: (Semester Long)
This project should actually be considered #1!
Presentations will be at the end of the semester. Artists will be added to this section frequently, so check back regularly! Students should feel free to post links of interesting articles to this section as well.

As mandated by the department, each student must complete an individual research project for every course. You will be provided with a variety of artists from which you can choose on the blog. You are also encouraged to explore other artists works on your own. Students will choose three artists. (The artists don’t all necessarily have to be visual artists) This choice should be given great consideration, because not only will you be spending a great deal of time with these artists in the course of your research, but because you will also be expected to tie some aspect of these artist’s working methods (directly or indirectly) to at least one of the pieces you will produce for this class over the course of the semester. It is extremely important that you take the time right away to begin your search. Be sure you locate three artists who you really find provoke an emotional response from you. Do your research in earnest. Delve deeply into forming a real and unique critical understanding of the relevance of the work to your own current understanding, taste and interests. Remember that these are the issues on which you should concentrate. This is not to be a report, in which you will relay a condensed biography, a series of facts or an amalgam of writings by art critics and historians. The nature of the assignment is to achieve a personal, critical dialog with the artist and the work. This is a semester-long project, and the quality and depth of your work should reflect this time frame.

The specific requirements of this research assignment are:
1. A short (minimum of 2 pages) written paper/essay.
2. A Power Point (or other digital-based projection program) presentation of not less than 10,
and not more than 25 images to your subject.
3. Towards the end of the semester, each student will be required to give a brief presentation
(10 to 15 minutes) about their subject.

Akio Takamori