Mark N. Stafford

A study of human anatomy for artists and representational figurative sculpting in clay, covering important and widely transferable formal principles and technical methods. In addition to traditional on-armature and handbuilding techniques, interested students will have access to ZBrush and may use it to produce maquettes and custom armatures through 3d printing and laser cutting. Qualified students may also have access to the Potterbot ceramic 3D printer for experimental use.

Readings, guides, and other reference materials will include excerpts from: Edouard Lanteri?s Modelling and Sculpting the Human Figure, Stephen Rogers Peck?s Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist, and Uldis Zarins? Anatomy for Sculptors: Understanding the Human Figure.

The course will be divided into three sections, the first two of which will involve the study of anatomy and sculptural technique. We will start with the bust (portraiture is optional), then move to the figure with scale studies of the torso, arms, and legs. Finally, students will have the opportunity to pursue a figurative project of their own design. Options for this project may include, but are not limited to: life-size or larger figures built in parts, figure groupings, formal and/or expressive figurative stylizations, and experimentation with the Potterbot ceramic 3D printer.

A survey of digital design, prototyping, and production methods, this course will familiarize students with the many ways artists and designers use digital technologies to facilitate traditional ceramic practices. Students will be introduced to basic CAD and modeling techniques using Rhino, Grasshopper, Blender, and ZBrush, and to both direct and indirect ceramic production methods using the PotterBot ceramic 3-D printer, AOC 3D scanners, and CDFS laser cutters & 3D printers. The emphasis is not on mastery of any particular program or process, but on introducing students to a wide range of techniques and concepts that they may fruitfully pursue in future work.

In addition, students will gain familiarity with the contemporary field of digital production, including current design and manufacturing technologies and the technical, formal, and conceptual uses to which they are put. Artists covered include Matthew Angelo Harrison, Jenny Sabin, Geoffrey Mann, Michael Eden, and Anya Gallaccio.

The course will be divided into three sections and will include four preliminary exercises and two projects. The first project focuses on direct digital production and will illustrate the mechanical and operational use of the Potterbot ceramic 3D printer. The second project will transition from direct to indirect production methods, from the acquisition of digital methods to their application, and on the incorporation of digital methods into students? established or developing practice.

Through the design, planning, and production of a single large-scale ceramic sculpture, students will gain both significant material knowledge and technical proficiency in numerous important hand-building principles and methods. Although for the purposes of the class these techniques will be specifically directed towards building big, they are broadly applicable to all-ceramic processes and will serve students well however they choose to work in the future.
Week one will focus on material considerations for large-scale building, clay mixing, stock preparation, and planning through sketches and small-scale clay or digital models. Weeks two through four will focus on construction, preliminary shaping, and sculpting techniques, such as darting and gusseting, stretching, splitting and patching, paddling, carving, compression, and skim coating. Weeks five and six will cover detailing and finishing techniques such as abrasion and brushing and firing and surfacing.
Some prior experience with clay and hand-building is beneficial, but not required.

This studio symposium joins an exploration of narrative theory (narratology) with workshops where students write and make their own narrative art across different forms and media. Narratology is concerned with big questions about storytelling: What are the fundamental concepts of narrative? How do narratives work, and how do we process and understand them? What are the key differences between alternative narrative forms? How do differences in media, genre, and cultural traditions inform how stories are constructed and understood? How have narrative forms changed over time, up to our digital present? Why do we share a common drive to tell stories in and with our making? We will read foundational theoretical texts (from Aristotle to twentieth-century and contemporary authors) and discuss them in relation to mythic, literary, cinematic, graphic, serial, and visual art narratives. Students will bring new ideas to the studio, where they will develop and complete narrative works individually and collectively.

This studio symposium joins an exploration of narrative theory (narratology) with workshops where students write and make their own narrative art across different forms and media. Narratology is concerned with big questions about storytelling: What are the fundamental concepts of narrative? How do narratives work, and how do we process and understand them? What are the key differences between alternative narrative forms? How do differences in media, genre, and cultural traditions inform how stories are constructed and understood? How have narrative forms changed over time, up to our digital present? Why do we share a common drive to tell stories in and with our making? We will read foundational theoretical texts (from Aristotle to twentieth-century and contemporary authors) and discuss them in relation to mythic, literary, cinematic, graphic, serial, and visual art narratives. Students will bring new ideas to the studio, where they will develop and complete narrative works individually and collectively.

In this Professional Practice class, students will engage in a wide variety of practical activities to help prepare for life after SAIC. These include the development of essential professional materials (statement, CV, bio, work documentation), creating or refining a website, delivering an artist talk, and writing a grant or project proposal. Beyond these tangible pursuits, we will discuss the pragmatic realities of life as a practicing artist, explore possible professions and transferable skills, and consider how self-evaluation, prioritization, and strategic planning can help us achieve the often difficult balance between artistic production and professional development activities (while hopefully still having time for a fulfilling personal life). Readings will include excerpts from Vicki Krohn Amorose¿s Art-Write, Jackie Battenfield¿s The Artist's Guide, Heather Darcy Bhandari & Jonathan Melber¿s Art/Work, Peter Cobb¿s The Profitable Artist, Gigi Rosenberg¿s The Artist's Guide to Grant Writing, Sharon Louden¿s The Artist as Culture Producer, DonThompson¿s The $12 Million Stuffed Shark, and Peter Nesbett, Sarah Andress, & Shelly Bancroft¿s Letters to a Young Artist.

This interdisciplinary studio seminar based in the ceramics department is designed for grad students interested in exploring the endless possibilities that clay offers as a material adapted into individual studio and research practices. The first portion of this class will be technically based to learn different modes of construction, mold making, as well as different glazing and firing techniques in ceramics. The second portion will be focused on independent projects, advising and critical discussions.

Readings will be a combination of history of ceramics, contemporary artist, and technical information. Some of the contemporary artists using clay within contemporary art practice we will study in this course include Cannupa Hanska Luger, Elizabeth Jaeger, Woody De Othello, and more. There will be discussions on the history of ceramics and how contemporary artists use clay in performance, sculpture, design, architecture, and print media.

Students should expect to produce a consistent body of work to be presented in a culminating course critique at the end of the session. Junior and Senior-level undergraduate students are welcome to enroll in this course and should email the instructor to seek authorization to register.