To wrap up this week, we’ve been working in the shop most nights on cutting down material for formwork then assembling them. The process of cutting the material down and getting them ready to assemble started off rough but we now have a system in place to make things go more smoothly.
For our ITC (Intro. to Craft) class, we’ve continued to work on our project that is also centered around formwork. The casting section is busy creating planters or vases out of a cast material that students chose. The other section which is working with wood is busy completing a scaled version of a staircase. They are working in teams and were able to choose the shape of the staircase that they wanted to design.
Needless to say the shop has been busy this week and we’ve all been learning a lot through working with our hands. By designing either a staircase or planter/vase we’ve been able to take our design from idea to actual product and create our own process of making. Being able to understand the way something needs to be built and then actually building it has been invaluable to my education. Having assignments like these has helped to enhance our thinking while doing capabilities.
My vase is inspired by carnations and the rough texture on the edge of the flower. I also wanted to create a juxtaposition between the delicate flower and a rough, masculine vase. I’m working with large aggregate concrete that is dyed a dark gray color and is being poured into a sand cast to create the organic shape.
Here are progress photos of my classmates forms for either vase, planter, or staircase:
