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Artistic lawn ornaments
October 13, 2006
Visit: LutePics Gallery
Abstract, colorful sculptures decorated the lawn in front of the Hauge Administration Building last week.
Created by students in Spencer Ebbinga’s Sculpture 1 class, the purpose of the project was to introduce tools and materials to students who were just beginning work in sculpture.
He assigned students to find an organic object the size of the palm of their hand that inspired them. The students then created line and contour drawings, manipulating their object into a more interesting shape and determining the skeletal structure of it, he said.
Next, students built the skeletal structure out of plywood, stuffing the open spaces with newspaper and covering the skeleton with chicken wire. Burlap strips soaked in plaster were then applied over the chicken wire to create the finished piece.
“The project gets the students working in scale, and it challenges them to a point they haven’t been challenged before,” Ebbinga said.
The project is particularly demanding because of the size and the various materials involved, he said.
Ebbinga opted to have the students place their work outside because of its large size and form. It gives him a chance to talk with his class about public sculpture, and they can discuss how the sculptures impact the landscape.
“We can talk about how art reflects on the environment, whether it adds to it or takes away from it,” he said.
The public showing also helps to generate interest in PLU’s fine art program, he said. So far, the response has been positive, with people commenting about how the sculptures add to and brighten up the landscape.
Ebbinga is new to the art department this year, having just finished up his graduate work at Arizona State University last spring. He prefers to do outdoor showings of student work because it showcases their work, creates awareness about the program and opens the door to talk about public art projects.
“The art department shouldn’t be so secluded,” he said. “People should get a feel for what’s happening over here. It’s hard to get people to come to the gallery, but easy for people to see it walking across campus.”
He assigned students to find an organic object the size of the palm of their hand that inspired them. The students then created line and contour drawings, manipulating their object into a more interesting shape and determining the skeletal structure of it, he said.
Next, students built the skeletal structure out of plywood, stuffing the open spaces with newspaper and covering the skeleton with chicken wire. Burlap strips soaked in plaster were then applied over the chicken wire to create the finished piece.
“The project gets the students working in scale, and it challenges them to a point they haven’t been challenged before,” Ebbinga said.
The project is particularly demanding because of the size and the various materials involved, he said.
Ebbinga opted to have the students place their work outside because of its large size and form. It gives him a chance to talk with his class about public sculpture, and they can discuss how the sculptures impact the landscape.
“We can talk about how art reflects on the environment, whether it adds to it or takes away from it,” he said.
The public showing also helps to generate interest in PLU’s fine art program, he said. So far, the response has been positive, with people commenting about how the sculptures add to and brighten up the landscape.
Ebbinga is new to the art department this year, having just finished up his graduate work at Arizona State University last spring. He prefers to do outdoor showings of student work because it showcases their work, creates awareness about the program and opens the door to talk about public art projects.
“The art department shouldn’t be so secluded,” he said. “People should get a feel for what’s happening over here. It’s hard to get people to come to the gallery, but easy for people to see it walking across campus.”