March 8 – 31, 2021
Organic Abstraction
Nature and biology have long been a source of mystery and inspiration for artists. The shapes and forms discovered under microscopes, in the depths of the oceans, and hiding in gardens feel otherworldly and beautiful in their strangeness. As humans we are drawn in by their elegant structures, sometimes at our own peril. For this assignment, students used clay and pinch pot building techniques to create sculptures inspired by organic forms from biology and nature.
Paper Mosaics
Students explored different color schemes and traditional “opus styles,” or ways that mosaic pieces can be arranged, to create a specific type of rhythm and flow in a mosaic.
Face Jugs
Face jugs can be found throughout history in Europe, Africa, Pre-Columbian America and especially in 19th century African-American folk arts. Fully-functional, it is said that slaves in the U.S. used the jugs for identity purposes on gravestones and to ward off evil spirits.