Natural Material Exploration (crit Dec. 10)

For this project you will work exclusively with materials that occur naturally. You will have to collect AT LEAST 100 of the same type of item for this project and figure out how to join those items together to make an interesting object. Material suggestions: Palm fronds, driftwood, long grasses, tree pods, anything interesting that you can access a lot of. Try weaving, braiding, sewing, tying, bending or whatever technique you come up with to make an object out of the separate materials. At home and during the in-class work day you will try different techniques of arranging or joining your objects together to make one unified form. SIZE The sculpture must be 3 feet long in at least one dimension.

Schedule:
November 19 We will watch the movie Rivers and Tides, about Andy Goldsworthy and his sculptures, in class.
Thanksgiving break Gather and experiment with your materials (100 of the same natural material)
December 3 In class work day, come prepared with all of your materials, sketches, and experiments you've already done.
Deecember 10 Critique

Inspiration for the project: Andy Goldsworthy

Documentary on the man-made floating islands of Lake Titicaca, Peru, which are made of woven reeds.

Last year's projects

A Note on Homework

Your grade in sculpture class depends on your final project, as well as the amount of time and effort you spend on your project both in class and out of class. A good rule of thumb is that you should spend at least the same amount of time outside of class on your project as you do in class. Class is approximately 3 hours long. You should spend no less than 3 hours actually working on your project between classes. Really good projects can take longer, and it is always worth the effort. Students who put little or no effort into their preparations (sketching and collecting materials) or project during the week will see their grades suffer. The same is true of in-class work time, use it wisely.

Alter Ego Mask due Nov. 19

Think of an aspect of your personality that the world doesn't normally see. Your challenge is to create a mask (think of it as a sculpture for your head) that represents that concept without illustrating it. This “mask” shouldn't look like anything you've seen before; approach the project in any way that makes sense to you. The materials are up to you. Let the forms, lines, colors and materials you use speak about your concept. You will wear the mask during critique on November 6.

Requirements
• The mask must obscure most, if not all of your face. 
• NO STORE-BOUGHT MASKS. This is not a Halloween mask.
• Some element of the mask should extend at least 12 inches from your head.
• Think about how you will wear it and don’t be afraid to get your shoulders and upper body involved as part of the mask, or as a way to wear it.
• You will be graded on your effort as well as your creativity, thoughtfulness, technique, and skill in making the mask.

You will have two weeks to work on the project, use your time wisely. There will be an in-class work day on Nov. 12.


Pencil Mask by Rebecca Horn
http://www.mediaartnet.org/works/bleistiftmaske/




Native Alaskan Inuit mask
http://www.glenbow.org/collections/museum/native/inuit.cfm


a Soundsuit by Nick Cave
http://badatsports.com/2008/nick-caves-soundsuits/


Stuck on You by Lucy and Bart
http://www.architectradure.com/2008/06/30/organic-prosthesis/

Last year's projects
http://newworldsculpture9.blogspot.com/2009/10/alter-ego-mask-due-nov-6.html