Student Work Sample
Culminating Project: Core Studio (Foundations) 8x3x3’. Various Fabrics, steel drum. Sketch and installation view.
Through a series of concept sketches and material explorations design and create a sheath, cozy, shroud, drape or other textile based response to a found object.
Student Work Sample
Culminating Project: Core Studio (Foundations) 5”x20’. Cotton, stuffing. Sketch and installation view.
Through a series of concept sketches and material explorations design and create a sheath, cozy, shroud, drape or other textile based response to a found object.
Student Work Sample
Casting Project: Sculpture 1 4x4” tiles, plaster, clay, silicone
Students learned patterning and casting basics in this assignment. From a series of rubbings students chose 1 pattern to develop into a series of tiles. The initial square was scaled up and transferred onto a small clay tile. Silicone was used to create a quick mold impression. Students than were given time to cast as many tiles as they could and fine tune each casting before critique.
Student Work Sample
Casting Project: 3D Design 9x9x5”. Plaster, process shot.
Students learned casting basics in this assignment. Using existing waxed containers students reconfigured the containers shape into a new form to use as a mold. They could choose to carve back into the cast shape once the mold was removed.
Student Work Sample
Culminating Project: Core Studio (Foundations) Installation View. Pine, black paint.
Students were allowed to revisit an earlier project to expand on the skillset and/or concept. This student chose to develop an earlier project where they used sound to create a series of linear wooden forms based off of the musical staff. This revision expanded the amount, scale and placement of the forms into a more formal and abstract installation.
Student Work Sample
Culminating Project: Research Studio (Foundations) 94”x48’x96”. Plywood, jute, polycrylic. Installation view.
Students were developing a body of work throughout the semester based from research and concept development. This students culminating project was tied to a a series of photographs they had taken of downtown Chicago at dusk. They used the photographs negative space from the vantage point of looking down State Street to create the form of this sculptural installation.
Student Work Sample
Culminating Project, Core Studio (Foundations) 40x32”. Umbrella, plywood, acrylic paint.
Through a series of concept sketches and material explorations design and create a sheath, cozy, shroud, drape or other textile based response to a found object.
Student Work Sample
Culminating Project: Research Studio (Foundations) 36”x6’. String, wax, glue acrylic paint. Sketch and installation view.
Students were developing a body of work throughout the semester based from research and concept development. This students culminating project was tied to a narrative exploring the nature of good versus evil.
Student Work Sample
Plotting and Form exercise: 3D Design Pencil, ink, paper, balsawood, copper. Sketch and final.
Students explored traditional drafting skills to better understand shape and form. Working through a series of sketches and photographs students could abstract a shape from those initial works to develop into an object that had height, width and depth. Simple materials like cardstock, balsawood and copper sheeting were available to use.
Student Work Sample
Shape and Form exercise: 3D Design Ink, plaster, oilboard. Process and final.
Students explored shape and form by taking a series of photographs in nature. These photographs were then used to isolate compositions that had some interplay with positive and negative space. 1 final square was chosen to translate into a volumetric object. This student added a second component by creating a net from oilboard to create an underlying shape that offset the plaster objects mass and movement.
Student Work Sample
Found Object Project, Arte Povera: Sculpture Plaster, found object..
Students in Sculpture 1 researched artists and context surrounding the Arte Povera movement. Highlighting 1 artist for research and presentation at critique each student had a choice of materials to choose from to build an object or installation that explored materials and form relationships. This student selected a piece of driftwood used in a beach bonfire to create a component piece from plaster that explored castoffs and trash found along the shoreline.
Student Work Sample
Shape, Form, Movement: Sculpture Plywood, foamcore, acrylic paint, steel wire.
Sculpture students explored shape and form through a series of drawings and material explorations. Researching Calder’s work on the Mobile students were challenged to present a mobile/stabile that examined shape, form and scale while considering balance.
Student Work Sample
Patterning, Design: 3D Design Cardstock, lamp, bullb.
Sculpture students explored patterning and form through platonic solids and creating nets for geometric figures. This student for a final project took the exercise one step further to construct a designed object utilizing these processes. The addition of the bulb added an environmental component to their piece as it cast mottled lighting onto nearby surfaces.
Student Work Sample
Relief project, Sculpture Wood, gesso
Students in Sculpture 1 explored relief through the work of Louise Nevelson. They began by collecting some film stills from favorite films and then working on breaking down the composition of the film still into discreet shapes. These became the template or sketch from which to create their relief. Learning basic wood shop techniques while exploring composition and shape were key components of this introductory exercise.
Student Work Sample
Line, Form: Sculpture Wire
Students in Sculpture 1 explored line and form with a classic wire self portrait. Researching hand joinery techniques and different types of line students were encouraged to focus on proportion, shape mass and joinery.
Student Work Sample
Installation: 3D Design Materials are site specific
Students in 3D Design explored spots on campus through sketching and photography. Using those documents they designed an installation of varying materials that responded to the immediate vicinity. This student found the stepping stone pathway interrupted by the cast sidewalk and dedicated to continue it through to the other side of the walk. Using the linear component of the space between the stepping stones they used landscaping rocks to create the mirror of the original stepping stone path.
Student Work Sample
Prototyping, Game Design: Design Thinking Foamcore, digital printouts, marker, Lego.
Design Thinking students work collaboratively over the semester to learn the myriad ways ideas develop and get implemented in a group structure. Quick visualization techniques and research is coupled with simple design exercises to build a prototype of a game based from period research on an art movement or style. This particular team chose the Bauhaus to research in the creation of an educational based board game that implemented history and context into the game play.
Student Work Sample
Thesis Exhibition: Senior Studio Mixed Media. Installation view.
Seniors work with a faculty during their last semester to build a body of work for inclusion in the thesis exhibitions held at years end. Working with students across department presents varying approaches to how best serve each senior. This student began with an interest in materials particularly gold leaf and how it relates to illuminated manuscript but also had ideas on creating objects. They successfully expanded their technical abilities and conceptual development to present a cohesive body of work that explored shape, forms and images as they relate to gothic architecture and images.
Student Work Sample
Thesis Exhibition: Senior Studio Mixed Media, Installation view.
Detail.
Student Work Sample
Thesis Exhibition: Senior Studio Mixed Media, Installation view.
Seniors work with a faculty during their last semester to build a body of work for inclusion in the year end thesis exhibitions. Working with students across department presents varying approaches to how best serve each senior. This student began with an interest in narrative, illustration and performance. As the semesters work developed they were able to hone in on the architecture and artifice surrounding a formal dinner party or event to create a tableau that critiqued in oblique ways such an event.
Student Work Sample
Thesis Exhibition: Senior Studio Mixed Media, Installation view.
Detail.
Student Work Sample
Culminating Project: Core Studio (Foundations) 36”x24”x24”. Plywood, recycling, acrylic paint.
Students were tasked to create a small pedestal for a found object. This intro wood shop project introduced them to basic cutting and joining techniques while urging them to think of scale, proportion and display. This student chose to use their dormmates recycling as the found object and creatively subverted the assignment to comment on waste and ecology.
