Megan and Murray

Course Review: Sculpture

Phill Stott, 2007

Phill Stott, Couch Model, 2007 (made on our new 3D printer from a computer model)

Trist MacDonnell, 2007

Nick Preston, 2007

Josh Payne, 2007

These works are from the senior Sculpture course I teach at Roger Williams University. My art department is delightfully a part of the architecture school. This means fun toys like laser cutters and 3D printers and also means I regularly work with architecture undergrads and graduates (four of the five images above were created by future architects).

Our final project was to fill the School of Art and Architecture with installations. Phill Stott answered this by building a 35' paper sculpture using a fraction of the collected waste our department creates in 2 weeks.

Course Review: Digital Media

Nima Khabiri, 2007

Heather Hoekstra, 2007

Brent Gentile, 2007

Tanya Zilewicz, 2007

This is my first semester at Roger Williams University where I teach intermedia and sculpture. These works were produced in Intro to Digital Media, my sophomore course.

The course consisted of 3 projects: 1) the Life Environment Project: students create where they are or where they've been 2) the Analog Digital Project: students combine the best physical and electronic techniques (Heather Hoekstra cleverly manipulated image transparencies over a scanner to create her work above) and 3) a Flash web site: although students usually choose to make portfolio sites, some prefer interactive artworks.

I like students to recognize and follow their interests.

Possibly the Best Lecture I've Ever Heard

If you are an educator this is mandatory viewing. If you are a student, parent or simply like great speakers this is worth your time (thanks P).

2007 Video Game Design

Margaret Keller, Dragonfly, 2007, still from video game

Margaret Keller, Dragonfly, 2007, still from video game

Ben Beaury, Simon Draws, 2007, still from video game

Ben Beaury, Simon Draws, 2007, still from video game

Art students collaborated with computer science students this semester in one of my courses to fabricate video games. Two games that expanded the potential of the video game medium were created by Margaret Keller and Ben Beaury. In Keller's Dragonfly, users navigate a dragonfly through a pond. Frogs with third eyes help you discover nirvana, the goal of the game.

Beaury's Simon Draws is a witty combination of the classic 80's musical toy, Simon, with loose drawings in unexpected locations. Selecting the sketches in the right order forwards audience members to the next drawing.

2007 3D Design Dinner Party

Zach Otte, Table (Dashboard), 2007

Brandon Barnes, Table and Chair, 2007

Cara Murphy, Fashion (Jellyfish), 2007

Jordan Feeler, Chair, 2007

This year at Webster University I've taught a range of new media and sculpture courses. Here are images from my freshman 3D Design course's final dinner party, the central theme to the course. Students this year made a chair, a table, fashion/wearable art and temporary architecture for a dinner party they could invite one guest to. Students learn craft, concept and to think of their art as a gift/meal/experience for a chosen audience to savor.

Teaching College Art: Projects

Robert Morse, Chair, 2005 (one of my favorite projects ever completed in my 3D Design courses)

College art projects are a teacher's tool to help students know how to pursue their individual creative voice. Projects are not the goal — they are merely a tool to help students make their own work.

In my experience, many teachers use the same projects they were given as students. Many of these projects have been recycled through multiple generations of teachers and reflect methodology that can be decades old and have nothing to do with contemporary concerns. Art has become much more complex in recent times and curriculums must allow for this.

I’m not arguing against using projects in art courses. I’m arguing for projects that achieve the ultimate goal, and are not an end themselves or worst case, only serve to fuel teachers’ nostalgia. The ultimate goal is to encourage students to pursue their individual creative voice, which is a difficult task. It’s arguably not possible within a 4-year curriculum. The fact that this might take longer only makes it more important to start earlier. This philosophy must be envisioned through every course in a curriculum, particularly foundations courses that so often set the tone for an entire department's curriculum.

Everyone's Doing It

Museums do it, and I hear even Boston beans do it: College Art Association 2006 Conference Blog.

[Liberally distorted lyrics courtesy of Cole Porter.]

Additional 3D Design Images: Chairs

Robert Morse's guest sits indian-style inside this cocoon form

Eric Mcleod's sitting panels are interchangeable

Jamie Restivo stores a modular back-rest inside

3D Design Dinner Party Images

Overview

Jamie Uretsky's Interactive Fat Suit

Charity Highly's Table, Eating System and guest

My 3D Design course is a dinner party. Freshmen create tables, chairs, fashion/wearable art, food art, eating systems and entertainment modules to learn how to connect their art with their audience.

Underwater Art Exhibition Images

Lori Pond

Christof Meyer

Candice Alexander