Never cut what you

can untie A Sculpture

& Fibers Lesson
Tamara Duran & Breannah Gammon
ART 135
Big Idea: Relationships

Relationship: the way in which two or more concepts,

objects, or people are connected, or the state of being
connected; being related or interrelated
Essential Questions

What is a relationship?

What kind of relationships do we have/form?

How do our relationships shape us?

How do you view your relationship with people or your community?

Key Concepts

Building relationships is a process

Relationships build our communities

Relationships may change over time

Relationships help to shape our experiences

Useful Vocabulary for the Unit
portrait- artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The
intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person.

installation art- an artistic genre of three-dimensional works that often are site-specific and designed
to transform the perception of a space.

Line: a long, narrow mark or band; a length of cord, rope, wire, or other material serving a particular
purpose

Pattern: a distinctive style, model, or form; anything fashioned or designed to serve as a model or
guide for something to be made

Shape: an enclosed space limited to two dimensions: length and width; defined by other elements of
art: lines, colors, values, textures, etc.

Form: a three-dimensional geometric figure; the whole pieces visible elements

Volume: the amount of space that a substance or object occupies

Whats in the Unit?

Lesson Plan 1- Introduction to Unit

VTS, introduce big ideas, essential questions, key
concepts, and inspiration artists
Lesson Plan 2- Wire Portraits
Lesson Plan 3- Nylon & Wire Sculptures
Lesson Plan 4- Collaborative woven sculpture
Plus classroom installation
Lesson plan 5- Wrap up & Critique
Inspiration Artists

Alexander Calder Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam

Alexander Calder

https://youtu.be/ovC9_LDnK1o
More on Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKNTFSYTH8M
Work of Alexander Calder
Project 1- Wire Portraits

Objective: Students will make a wire portrait of a person they care for
Instructions:
Materials:
1. Students will print an image of a person
Wire they care about

Pencil 2. A piece of paper will be placed over that

image for students to trace an outline of it
Paper
3. Students will use the traced outline to help
make their wire portrait
Full page printed image
Project 2-Nylon and Wire
Objective: Students will create a pattern that represents a relationship or
relationships they have in their lives Instructions:
Materials: 1. Students will design a pattern or image after discussing
the big idea of relationships. The pattern should reflect
Tempera paint these concepts some way.

Gesso 2. Students will sketch what they want their sculptures to

look like, noting important aspects they will need to
complete it.
Small wood or cardboard base
3. Students will complete a wire skeleton for their
Nylon sculpture

Wire 4. Students will cover wire skeleton with a nylon stocking,

and apply several coats of gesso (and allow this to dry )
Works of Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam
 Project 3-Collaborative Weaving
Objective: Students will work together to create a sculpture made with woven
fibers
Materials: Instructions:

1. Students will work in pairs to create a wire 3 dimensional

Wire
shape out of wire

Pipe Cleaner 2. Students will attach rows of wire for weaving through.

Yarn 3. Students will weave fibers through wire structures, filling in

the sides.
Thread
4. The class will work together to combine small sculptures
into one large classroom installation
Tissue paper