Creating a total object of art.

Creating a total object of art. As a painter and art educator, I realize that many of the artlessons we give our students include art techniques, processes, arthistory, interpretation, art elements and more. Teaching students toproceed with respect for what they are creating and to nurture a senseof craft and care as they shape their ideas into a tangible product--atotal object of art--is of great importance. Each part of the work needsto reflect the intent of the artist. In conjunction with my first solo museum show, A Sense of Place:Paintings by Evelyn Busch Klie, at the Roberson Museum and ScienceCenter in Binghamton, N.Y., I was asked by the museum's educationdepartment to design a workshop for young artists. In my large-scale paintings, I use nontraditional methods to pushtraditional boundaries. Much consideration is given to the mounting andframing of each piece, since their presentation is an extension of thework itself. And so, with the desire to teach students a sense of craft, Idesigned a mixed-media project that combined watercolor painting watercolor painting,in its wider sense, refers to all pigments mixed with water rather than with oil and also to the paintings produced by this process; it includes fresco and tempera as well as aquarelle, the process now commonly meant by the generic term. withclay sculpture. In the first part of the project, the students painted aminiature watercolor, and in the second part, they sculpted sculpt?v. sculpt��ed, sculpt��ing, sculptsv.tr.1. To sculpture (an object).2. To shape, mold, or fashion especially with artistry or precision: afreestanding clay base or frame to hold the painting. The students thenformed and attached clay details to the frames, which would repeat orreflect the same symbolism found in their paintings. At the beginning of the workshop, we went to the gallery to viewsome examples of my work in the exhibit. Here I gave them a presentationabout some of my paintings and prints. One of my prints, The Passing ofSummer, had clay crow heads attached to the frame. I explained theprocess used to sculpt sculpt?v. sculpt��ed, sculpt��ing, sculptsv.tr.1. To sculpture (an object).2. To shape, mold, or fashion especially with artistry or precision: the heads and how I wanted them to reflect thesame symbolism found in the print. I designed a simple classroom activity to help students understandthe concept of how each part of a work of art--including the choice of aframe--influences how the total piece appears to the viewer. Thestudents also saw how the choice of a frame can carry over the samestyle or symbolism found in the art itself. A good resource for thislesson is the book, Frames by Nicholas Penny Nicholas Penny (born 1949) is a British art historian.Penny studied at St Catharine's College, Cambridge and at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, from which he graduated in 1975. (National GalleryPublications; 1997). To get things started, I showed examples of reproductions ofpaintings with no frames, and then with different styles of pictureframes placed over each one. We discussed the impact each frame had onthe artwork, how different the work appeared and which frame we thoughtthe artist would choose for the painting. Questions included: Does theaddition of a specific frame enhance the work? Does the attitude of theviewer toward the painting change with each frame? Is the frame of moreimportance than the work itself?. PAINTING WITH WATERCOLORS After our discussion and walk through theexhibit, a watercolor workshop was given. Here I gave a demonstration onthe watercolor techniques of drybrush, paint added into wet paint, andhow to wipe out and soften colors with paper towels. The studentsexperimented with these techniques on a large paper divided or foldedinto four sections. They were encouraged to create a mood found innature. Some examples included the wind blowing, a bright sun, and astormy day. After experimenting with watercolor techniques in each ofthe four sections, the students gained some confidence and skill inusing watercolors. During a second watercolor session, students painted two differentminiatures with a theme from nature that could include flora or fauna.This time the paper was divided into halves, increasing the size of thepainting area. Bird and animal specimens from the museum's LoomisCollection were provided, so students had the option of drawing fromdirect observation. Out of this group of paintings, the studentsselected their best piece and were to then consider how to carry overtheir ideas into a sculpted clay frame. They were asked to reflect andmake some artistic decisions before the next session. SCULPTING sculptingCosmetic surgery The surgical reshaping of a tissue. See Deep tissue sculpting, Facial sculpting. CLAY FRAMES At the beginning, I gave a demonstration onhow to construct a freestanding clay base. During the demonstration, wereviewed the process of welding clay parts and how to use differenttools for shaping and smoothing. The students then rolled their clayinto a long thick log. A strip of 1/4-inch-thick foam board Foam board is a type of display board made primarily with foam. It generally consists of a foam core in between two sheets of thin, rigid paper; and is characterized by its light weight, and the ease with which it is scored. was used, asa tool, to make a trough by pressing it lengthwise length��wise?adv. & adj.Of, along, or in reference to the direction of the length; longitudinally.Adj. 1. lengthwise into the clay. Thetrough or channel would hold the finished and mounted watercolorpainting. The log was tapped firmly onto the tabletop to form a fiatsurface underneath the clay frame. From this clay framework the students began to add clay details inrelief. Attention to careful, strong construction and concept ideas wasencouraged. We discussed how each clay part became a symbol orrepresentation of the themes found in their miniatures. The clay frames were later bisque-fired and the students applied agray-green velvet underglaze un��der��glaze?n.Coloring or decoration applied to pottery before glazing. to them. After drying, the students usedsponges and water to remove most of the glaze glaze, in potteryglaze,translucent layer that coats pottery to give the surface a finish or afford a ground for decorative painting. Glazes—transparent, white, or colored—are fired on the clay. , but allowed somecoloration col��or��a��tion?n.1. Arrangement of colors.2. The sum of the beliefs or principles of a person, group, or institution. to remain in the recesses. An aged look was the end result,and a soft-looking patina. The clay frames were fired a second time andthe students could now begin to install painting to frame. ASSEMBLY OF A TOTAL OBJECT To begin the assembly of paintings toframes, we first selected a size and color of mat board that wouldenhance the work itself. Edges of each painting were trimmed to give abalanced look, unless the student wanted a free-form look to the art.The chosen paintings were first mounted onto the mat board pieces andthen onto a larger piece of 1/4-inch-thick foam board. During the assemblage of painting to mat board, the students wereencouraged to consider how different sizes and thickness of mountingboards might change the visual impact on the total piece or final objectof art. If the mounted paintings did not fit well into the clay frames,artistic decisions would need to be made at this point. Students had tofind acceptable artistic resolution for their work through reflection orthrough discussion. Upon completion of this multifaceted project, the young artists haddeveloped a real sense of the importance of craft and respect in theirown art-making process. During their creating, perhaps they alsodiscovered the subtle relationship that resonates between all parts ofan object of art and between different mediums. This concept can not betaught by words alone--it must be found in the experience itself. MATERIALS * Specimens of birds and animals; bird's nests; tree branches,flowers; real artifacts artifactssee specimen artifacts. from nature * Models of birds and animals; plastic bugs and reptiles * Art reproductions and original works of art * White clay * Wood craft sticks for shaping and welding * Velvet underglazes (dark green and dark gray, mixed together) * 2" x 6" strips of foam board * Brushes to apply underglaze; sponge pieces * 8 1/2" x 11" heavy drawing paper and watercolor paper * Small, medium and large watercolor brushes * Tissues, paper towels and semi-moist watercolor towels * Mat board and foam board * White glue LEARNING OBJECTIVES Students will ... * create, perform and participate in the arts. * know and use art materials Techniques and materials related to art:Traditional techniques: Acrylic paint Charcoal Clay Collage Drawing Fresco Glass Gouache Gum arabic Lithography Oil painting Oil pastel Paint Painting Pen and ink and resources. * respond to and analyze works of art. * define what 'a sense of craft" means. * identify several watercolor techniques used in painting. * understand how the framing of art affects the painting. * paint a miniature watercolor painting. * sculpt and apply underglaze to a clay frame. Evelyn Busch Klie is an artist and an art educator in Windsor, N.Y.