First, each student sketched out several ideas for a sculpture.
The students then chose the one they liked best out of their drawings
and developed that one into a full drawing with a written
description of the size, surface color, texture and any other details
describing the piece.
Next, came the making of a clay maquette, (a small, to-scale model).
From all the clay maquettes, one was chosen to be
translated into full-sized courtyard sculptures.
A Blueprint was drawn to scale with a materials list:
Hauling in the raw materials:
We had groups of students cutting rebar:
Other students cut lengths of tie-wire to bind the rebar together.
Another group worked on
bending the rebarinto the wavy shapes.
Other groups put together the temporary wooden base that would
eventually be filled with cement.
With many hands
holding the six wavy
up-right rebar pieces
in place....
...other hands
wire-tied the rebar
cross-braces.
Getting ready to mix
the concrete...
a very dusty job.
The Cement Surgeons
at work.
Power tools...
noise....
dust....
mud...
What Fun!!!
More mixing...
holding the rebar
armature in place...
filling the wooden base
with concrete...
and cleaning up.
Took many cooperative
hands.
The sculpture is free standing
now, and the "skin", made of
diamond lathe, is being tied
on. Look closely, and you will
see one of the three spheres
being wired on.
The sculpture is now taking
on its flowing form.
Since this sculpture will "live" outside in the Courtyard,
a stuctural skin of fiberglass reinforced cement is used.
Two coats are applied. The first will cover the wire mesh.
The second coat has a color mixed into it.
The finished sculpture was left inside to "cure" for several weeks.
Meanwhile, a hole is dug in the courtyard where the sculpture will
be placed:
The sculpture was placed on a dolly and moved to the site:
The wooded form for the base is removed:
The sculpture is moved into place allowing the concrete base
to slip into the hole:
One more lift...
...and our first sculpture
is in place!