Sculpture One - 30762 - ARTS 280 - T2

Instructor: Karin Hodgin Jones

Meeting time: T / TH 1:00 - 3:40

Meeting location: A&D rm. 40 (in the basement)

Office Hours: contact me for an appointment

Email Address: karinhodgin@gmail.com

Course Web Site: http://sculptureone.pbwiki.com

Course Summary

In this course, you will be introduced to basic sculptural fabrication methods. Through the active investigation of 3 primary materials: cardboard, wood and plaster, you will begin to explore formal relationships in objects, and how context, content and concept are communicated through 3 dimensional works. In each assignment you will be asked to include additional materials in your projects. The specific materials added will be chosen by you and may include metal, plastic, textiles, rubber, found materials or any other of a variety of media. In each assignment, you will be asked to investigate the structural, contextual, conceptual, metaphorical and formal elements of these core materials. You will be pushed to make informed choices about materials that will be added to these core materials by considering the relationship of one material to another, one object to another, the resulting metaphor, context, formal harmony or disruption these additional materials may invoke through integration or juxtaposition with the core materials. These objects will exist in space and will be viewed, so you will be asked to consider the conceptual relationship between the objects you construct, the site of their exhibition and the audience that will be viewing the work.

Your goals:

For many of you, this will be the first time that you are working in a studio setting. My goal is to help you create your own method of investigating and manipulating materials. Throughout the semester, there will be demonstrations to introduce you to a variety of tools and methods that will allow you to manipulate the core materials. The demonstrations are largely designed to give you a place to start building your own skill set for how you will work with these materials. For many of the materials you will be using, there is not one way or a best way to approach construction. As you are investigating and exploring their potential, you are strongly encouraged to be experimental with your treatment of most of the materials. In some cases (specifically regarding safety issues) you will be instructed in a specific method of how to use some tools but what you do with what you cut, shape or form from these tools will be a part of your own exploration.

My goals:

My role in our community will be to facilitate your engagement with materials and your peers. I will encourage each of you to explore a variety of methods of engaging with the assigned materials. My goal is to foster your ability to create new skill sets that will help you best communicate your ideas through materials. My goal for the class is that learning will happen in all of our interactions; a failure can be a learning tool as much as a success can be. As a group, I will encourage all to participate in learning from each other, to engage in research about artists and techniques not specifically covered in class and to create a constructive community where we can discuss the limitations and successes we've found in our experimentation.

Policies and Guidelines

Safety policy:

-All students are expected to use tools safely.

-You will be instructed in the safe use of tools prior to any unit that requires that tool.

-Any student who has not passed a safety exam with Art and Design will be required to take the safety training and exam on Tuesday 1/29 and Thursday 1/31 during our class period.

-Shop safety technicians are our friends! They may have input on how to use a tool safely when you are working in the shop. This is an opportunity to learn good skills that may save time or prevent injuries. Please follow the guidelines set up in the shop so that everyone can enjoy a safe working environment.

-We will go through the shop to familiarize you with the facility and to locate emergency equipment together. Please make a note of where bandages, eye wash and other emergency items can be found to help yourself or others if needed.

Attendance policy:

-It is vitally important that everyone makes the best use of the facilities for their own success, to gain the input of their peers and access to the instructor during our very brief ~ 6 meeting hours each week.

-Access to our classroom and/or tools will be restricted by the shop open hours and by other courses using the room.

-Students are expected to attend all regularly scheduled classes from 1:00p - 3:40p Tuesdays and Thursdays this semester.

-Arriving late, leaving to purchase materials or leaving early without permission will be counted as an absence. Please come to class with all necessary materials.

-If you must miss class please email karinhodgin@gmail.com to let me know that you will be unable to attend.

-More than 2 unexcused absences will result in a 5% reduction of your final grade. Please bring a note for excused absences (doctors or the emergency dean will provide notes for emergencies and illness).

Studio Policy

-The studio is a shared space. 2 other classes will be meeting in the room at different times.

-The classroom will be unavailable during the periods of these other classes: M/W 4:00 - 6:40 and T/Th 9:00 - 11:40 unless you have been told otherwise by me or by the other class instructors.

-There is shared storage for ongoing projects, however the space is shared between all 3 classes. Please remove finished projects promptly so that everyone has space to realize and construct their projects.

Office hours and Email Policy:

-I do not have an office or set office hours, however, I am available for meetings in person by appointment. Please do not hesitate to arrange a meeting in person. Email me or talk to me in class to arrange a good meeting time. I will usually be available to stay after class to meet with students on an as-needed basis. There may be times when I am unable, so if you need assistance, please arrange a meeting outside of class.

-I will require a minimum of 24 hours notice for meetings not immediately following class. In some cases, I may be available, however in many cases I will not. Please give me plenty of notice so I can make myself available to assist you!

-Email is my preferred method of basic communication outside of class. You may email me at any time to ask questions about projects, to let me know of anticipated absences, for clarification on assignments or expectations for this course.

-I will make every reasonable effort to reply to emails within 24 hours.

-If you have an important question that must be answered immediately, please contact me by telephone. My phone number will be made available to you at our first class meeting.

Special Needs:

If any student has medical difficulties, disabilities, learning disorders, or any other extenuating circumstances that affect your ability to attend or participate in any part of the class, please talk to me immediately. I will work to accommodate your request and to make you feel comfortable in class. I want all students to have an equal opportunity to enjoy and learn from the class information.

It is often necessary to contact Disability services to be able to accommodate students with special needs in class. Here is a link to their home page: http://www.disability.uiuc.edu/resourceguide If you need assistance getting in touch with their office or have questions about how to proceed, please talk to me immediately after the course begins.