By Megan Jorgenson
Sculpture Instructor
This fall, a group of students who enrolled in the brand-new Sculpture course have been creating three-dimensional art at SCTCC. This course was offered to expand the art classes at the school. And, for the first time at SCTCC, it gives students the opportunity to work with materials such plaster and wood to create artwork.
The course was designed by instructor Megan Jorgenson to include a variety of approaches to sculptural forms and materials. The first project that students made this fall was artwork created from wire and papier-mâché. It introduced the class to figurative sculpture: sculpture that represents a human or animal.
The class then moved onto to creating clay and plaster sculptures. They each chose an object to represent that holds importance to either them or their families. First the clay sculptures were made through direct modeling of the clay, and then the class learned how to mix and pour plaster. Students either poured the plaster into a clay cast to create their objects or they made a block of plaster which they then carved.
Next, the class was introduced to wood working tools. In a partnership with the trades and industry programs, the class has been using the Carpentry shop. Students learned how to safely use power tools such as the miter saw and jig saw, as well as to employ traditional wood working techniques such as chiseling.
Along the way, students have studied vocabulary and concepts related to three-dimensional design and have been introduced to historical and contemporary approaches to sculpture.
The Sculpture course will be offered again this spring! The class will meet once a week, on Fridays. If you have questions about the class or would like more information, you are welcome to contact the instructor, Megan Jorgenson.
