Robert J. Lang
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Sunday, September 21, 2025
Nick Cave, Artist
video
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Chicago-based artist Nick Cave transformed Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall with a herd of thirty colorful life-size horses that broke into choreographed movement—or “crossings”— twice a day, accompanied by live music. The project was presented by Creative Time and MTA Arts for Transit as part of a series of events celebrating the centennial of Grand Central.
We are thrilled to have partnered with The Ailey School, whose students performed the crossings, and with Chicago-based choreographer William Gill, who worked with the artist to design the dancers’ movements. We are also delighted that harpists Shelley Burgon and Mary Lattimore, and percussionists Robert Levin and Junior Wedderburn provided the musical accompaniment.
LAYLA MAY ARTHUR, Artist
More to see and video on artist blog. Link below.
More to see and video on artist blog. Link below.
Lo Siento Design Firm
We are a graphic design studio located in Barcelona, Spain, founded in 2007. Our philosophy is based on creativity, innovation and constant experimentation through handmade processes. Our multidisciplinary approach allows us to explore different fields of design, such as branding, typography, illustration, packaging or art direction, among others.
Our studio has an artisanal approach, where the designer's hand plays a vital role in the creation and production of the work. Each project is treated in a unique way, with special attention to detail and originality as well as an emphasis on manual processes. The result is designs that are intended to excite the consumer / viewer and that aim to stand out for their aesthetic and conceptual quality.
Much more to see on website. Link below.
Sunday, September 7, 2025
Friday, August 29, 2025
Thursday, August 7, 2025
Monday, August 4, 2025
Landscape Sculpture Assignment Guidelines
This project is a collaboration with art history students.
3D Materials and Concepts students will reference images art history students are analyzing in Professor Holios' art history course entitled "Ink".
Students from 3D Materials and Concepts will have their work juried for an exhibition in the Proctor Library February 2026. Details announced in class.
Students are expected to write a statement for this sculpture. Refer to the blog checklist for guidelines on the statement.
Assignment
- Create a three-dimensional paper sculpture inspired from selected Asian artworks. See yellow highlighted section at bottom of this post.
- The sculpture will use imagery to communicate a narrative.
- A significant portion of the sculpture must demonstrate paper cutting skills to achieve texture.
- Include black ink lines and color washes.
- The shape of the sculpture will resemble a mountainous region rising from a rocky beach. Within this landscape are objects/animals/architecture.
Cultural Appropriation
When using another culture's visual artwork, we have to discuss cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation occurs when someone uses the knowledge and imagery from another culture for personal gain without understanding or respect of the culture, or when it perpetuates stereotypes.
Students will mention the images they used for inspiration and how these images fueled their ideas.
Objective
- Explore elements and principles in historical eastern artworks.
- Gain skills in three-dimensional building.
- Apply elements and principles to achieve an idea.
- Introduce discussion of cultural appropriation.
Materials Needed
- 140 lb watercolor paper
- student purchase
- Watercolor paints
- student purchase
- Brushes
- student purchase
- Exacto knife/scissors
- student purchase
- Cut matt
- student purchase
- Gorilla White Glue
- student purchase
- Paper Folder Tool
- student purchase
- Sumi or India Ink and Bamboo Stylus for ink
- Will be provided in green plastic bin in metal cabinet in the studio.
- Students must return to bin and place in metal cabinet when done using.
- This will ensure other students have access.
- Option - White copy paper if you choose to use paper folding techniques for small additions.
- Do not use copy paper for the base or center structure as copy paper is not strong enough to serve these purposes.
- If you have, tweezers can be useful for detail work on this project.
An Overview of the Sculpture
- The sculpture must demonstrate inspiration from at least two of the selected Asian artworks listed below (highlighted in yellow).
- Inspiration may come from shape, line, color, texture, space, pattern and/or content and/or concept.
- Be prepared to write about inspiration. So, take notes as you develop and build your sculpture.
- The sculpture will visually communicate a narrative that takes place in a landscape.
- The narrative is invented by the student.
- The narrative does not have to be literal. Students may delve into the fantastical.
- Consider how scale, color and texture can visually communicate your narrative.
- The sculpture setting is a landscape that that will resemble a mountainous region rising from a rocky beach.
- Placed within the landscape.
- Objects and/or animals and/or architecture.
- Can represent reality or your own invention.
- Do not incorporate imagery of people.
- The sculpture must be interesting to view from all angles, visually communicating a narrative in the round.
Size
- The sculpture will take the size of circular form, that peaks at a center height to suggest a stacked perspective (think mountain, layers of landscape).
- Diameter
- 10 - 12 inches
- Height Option #1
- 9 1/2 inches.
- Eight spaces in the library cases for this height.
- Height Option #2
- 12 1/2 inches.
- Two spaces in the library cases for this height.
Process
- Utilize paper cutting and paper sculpture techniques to build the sculpture.
- Paper folding using copy paper may also be incorporated for small additions.
- Do not use copy paper for the center structure or any structure that needs support.
- Reflect on building skills you learned from previous assignments.
- The sculpture will be made entirely from paper.
- Use white glue to build.
- The base of the sculpture will be at least three layers of 140 lb watercolor paper.
- Cut into the layers of paper on the base to achieve depth/texture or add strips of paper on top to create various heights.
- You will have to solve how to anchor structure on base. Think back to cardboard replica project.
- Cut the paper to create an organic shape base.
- Reminder, the shape of the sculpture will resemble a mountainous region rising from a rocky beach. Within this landscape are objects/animals/architecture.
Texture
- A significant portion of the sculpture must demonstrate paper cutting techniques to achieve texture.
- Consider creating shapes/forms in the landscape that demonstrate detailed paper cutting work.
- Your goal is to create selected areas of the sculpture with intense texture.
- These areas can be forms (for example a row boat, bird) that are meticulously paper cut.
Color
- Use washes of color with watercolor paint.
- This means more water than pigment on the brush.
- Build up washes of color for various color intensity.
- Incorporate Sumi or India ink.
- Consider how the black line of this ink can meld with color.
- At least 50% of the sculpture must include color.
- Option to focus on black/white.
- Use the ink to create various shades of gray/black as well as drawn lines.
- Consider how color can enhance the narrative you want to communicate.
Step 1
- Review selected Asian artworks. See section at bottom of post highlighted in yellow.
- Must select images from Inspiration Collection #1 and/or Inspiration Collection #2 as Art History students will be analyzing these artwork.
Step 2
- Review the ideas of how to use paper.
- Gather ideas on how to build with paper.
Step 3
- Gather ideas on how to use color to enhance depth of field within your sculpture. The image in the link below is not of Asian culture, but is a good example of this visual technique.
- Refer to the book The Secret Lives of Color Assignment regarding your color choices.
- The color history for a color may support the content and meaning the narrative you choose for your sculpture.
- Also, refer to color charts for color schemes. Be sure to read what visual content a color scheme can communicate.
- Note, you can choose a black/white color scheme - incorporate various tones of grey.
- Reminder, you will need to reference your color choices in your artist statement.
Step 4 - In class discuss ideas and experiment with Sumi ink, India ink and watercolor.
- Bring at least two different sketched ideas to class on due date (announced in class).
- Important - need a hard copy of the sketches or an ipad sketch.
- Viewing sketches on your phone will not be acceptable for the discussion we have in class regarding your sketches.
- Also need 140 lb watercolor paper, brushes and watercolor palette. Student purchase.
- I will provide Sumi ink and India ink.
Step 5
- Begin building your sculpture.
- Remember, texture, black ink and watercolor are incorporated.
Asian Artworks for Inspiration
- Select at least two of artworks from:
- Inspiration Collection #1
- and
- Inspiration Collection #2.
- Can be one from each or two from one collection.
- These artworks will inspire the sculpture.
- Derive inspiration from shape, line, color, texture, space, pattern and/or content and/or concept.
- Remember, your sculpture needs to visually communicate a narrative.
- Students will be asked to write about their decisions after their sculpture is complete.
- Option to add a third or fourth image from Inspiration Collection #3.
Inspiration Collection #1.
Select one or two images.
From the artist Seeshu Toyo. The images below are images the Art History students will directly study. You are not limited to these images. A google search of Seeshu Toyo will pull up many more images of the artist's work.
Splashed Ink Landscape
1420-1506?
Ink on Paper
58 1/2 x 12 7/8 inches
Tokyo National Museum
Winter Landscape
46.3 x 29.3 cm, Ink on Paper, Tokyo National Museum Collection
Autumn Landscape
46.3 x 29.3 cm, Ink on Paper, Tokyo National Museum Collection
Inspiration Collection #2.
Select one or two images.
Below are a few images from a small collection of East Asian Art at the Metropolitan Museum Collection. Art History students will study these images. More images to see in link below.
Inspiration Collection #3.
Optional.
In addition to the two artworks selected above.
An artwork(s) from the Asian Landscape collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Link below.
Evaluation Criteria
- Refer to the document in File Section in Canvas entitled "Evaluation Criteria". The document has the evaluation criteria for all assignments.
What information do I put on my blog?
- Refer to document in File Section in Canvas entitled "Blog Guidelines and Checklist".
- The document includes guidelines and checklist and due dates.
- Note: All information for this assignment due during final exam week.
- Date announced in class shortly after mid-semester.
- Late work not accepted for blog posts.
Saturday, August 2, 2025
Thursday, July 31, 2025
Paper Cutting Examples
A great example for detail.
Reminder, student sculptures will be constructed in the round,
meaning there is no backside, as this sculpture demonstrates.
More to see of this artwork and others on link below.
A great example on how to build height.
Students need to incorporate a high center area in their sculpture.
Example of using horizontal paper shapes to build a three-dimensional form.
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
The Secret Lives of Color Assignment Guidelines
Assignment:
Select two colors from the book, The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair.
For each color, make an artwork that utilizes the color and communicates the history of the color as discussed in the book.
The artwork can be a sculpture, drawing, painting, performance (dance, music), poetry, flash fiction. Each color is a different creative result. Do not use the same process for each artwork.
If artwork is a digital photograph or video, student must upload on their blog to present to the class.
Tangible solutions such as drawing, painting, sculpture, etc...must be brought to class to receive credit. Images of these artworks will not receive credit.
No students will have the same colors. This includes both sections of this class. To ensure this process, sign up for your colors on the sign-up sheet posted in our classroom, Studio 3, next to the wood shop door. Write your name next to the two colors you select. Remember, two students cannot have the same color(s). Each student has two colors, and no other student can have these colors.
Summary: Two different colors for each student. The creative work for each color is different. Do not use the same process for each artwork. No two students have the same colors. Sign up sheet in Studio 3.
Objective:
Use historical content to generate ideas for a creative work. This process utilizes conceptual thinking and the application of a creative medium to communicate an idea in visual or literary form.
Materials:
- Student choice.
Work Time and Due Date:
- Students will work on this assignment outside of class.
- A class day will be set aside for students to present their work to the class.
- Date announced in class, so be sure to mark your calendars.
- Students will discuss how the artwork connects with the reading content for the color.
The Book:
The book is available for purchase in the Flagler Book Store.
If you wish not to purchase, the book is on reserve at Proctor Library. Ask for the book at the front desk. Students can use their Flagler College ID to check out the book from the front desk for 2-3 hours (students cannot leave the library with the book).
Evaluation Criteria:
- Each sculpture worth 8 points. Two sculptures = 16 points.
- Work should demonstrate innovation, time and effort.
- Not completing on due date or poor quality results in point deduction from Landscape Sculpture Assignment.
What do I post on my blog?
- Refer to document in File Section in Canvas entitled "Blog Guidelines and Checklist".
- The document includes a section with the title of this assignment and guides you what to post.
