Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/733
Browse
6 results
Search Results
Item Functional pottery(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 1986) Fabens, Frank BevisMy pottery contains harmony which arises out of contradiction. The pieces do not appear to be traditionally functional, yet they are. The surface is both rigid and soft. The apparent heaviness of the forms is different from the actual weight. These contradictions create a pottery which is intriguing and is not understood at first glance. An initial visual impression of my sake’ bottle contradicts common ideas of a functional pot. If something feels good or works well, it may change one’s idea of the pot; consequently, these pots are to be explored with fingers. The eye and mind accept limited standards of function and nonfunction, while touch is accountable only to itself. A cup that can be held in one hand can be explored three-dimensionally through touch as well as through sight. The viewer using both touch and sight will gain a more complete understanding of my pot’s complex planes and surfaces.Item Fin de siecle(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 1996) Pugh, Michael WilliamThis body of work is a synthesis of images from primitive cultures, history and real-life experience. These works are the physical manifestation of a personal aesthetic which promotes looking at the past to reflect on contemporary society. These works do not have any concrete message or meaning but are loaded with a number of possibilities which usually allow the spectator to arrive at some conclusion. In order to stage the most interesting set of possibilities I use devices like paradox and irony. These devices seem to form the core of many religions and forms of mysticism because they attempt to explain the unknowable (knowledge of God, life after death, etc.) with the spectacular and impossible. The best examples of this are from Christianity: Christ is dead but alive in everyone, his mother was a virgin but gave birth.Item Stability and tension(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 1985) Penziner, Richard LyleSculpture enables me to translate thoughts and feelings Into tangible form. The pieces Included In this exhibition demonstrate two distinct, yet closely related, types of structural forms: the tenuous and the stable. Both of these forms have been used to activate or animate my sculptures. The tenuous pieces possess an excited state with the potential of energy release. The focal point of these structures Is the element within the piece that creates the force or resistance against the material. I relate to this aspect of my sculptures on a sensual level where the process of building and conceiving the idea Is experienced through manipulation and construction of the material. This Is an embodiment of my physical energy and Is reflected through their tense gestures. In the stable structural forms the material Is not stressed; rather, the focal point is the idea of support, emphasizing the element which rests on top. These pieces represent stability and permanence and are the antithesis of tenuousness. I relate to them as the structures that support my intellectual and rational energies. Together the sculptures achieve a balance of separate aspects of my working process. For me sculpture Is most successful when it achieves that balance within itself.Item Illusions of fabric in functional jewelry(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 1990) Pedersen, Gayle PatriciaThe focus of my thesis work in jewelry design has been form, function, and illusion. The form is the transformation of fabric, both woven and lace, into functional jewelry made from bronze and sterling silver. My intent is to translate the idea of soft, pliable fabric into metal, and create the illusion of fabric. This idea is especially important with the silver lace pieces. The sterling silver pins and necklace of lace embossed metal are translations of several elements. The layers of metal are copies of stiff white lace collars found in fifteenth and sixteenth century paintings. Flat pieces of sterling silver are folded and pinched into tight gathers to create the impression of a ruffle. Several layers of metal are attached to resemble the fullness of the lace collars. The diffusion of reflective light and the negative spaces create an illusion of increased visual depth. The white matte color of the silver provides a strong contrast to the dark area of negative space. The process of leaving silver white imitates the starched lace and stiff doilies used by my grandmothers. The Norwegian women who immigrated to the United States brought only their clothing and jewelry; my grandmother was one. Her most treasured pieces of jewelry were her Norwegian pins of filigree framework, with silver and gold disks. As a child I was fascinated by how elaborate and beautiful they were. Even though my works look nothing like these pins, they have been a strong influence, both visually and emotionally.Item Ceremony(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 2000) Adams, Caroline A.According to the artist Andy Goldsworthy, one must feel an “intimate physical involvement with the earth" in order to see nature. Jewelry allows the viewer this intimacy, creating a relationship between human and natural object. The SeedPods bracelet holds up these tiny specimens, allowing us to see the rhythm of their form, and the variations among them. The vulnerability of the organic component and subsequent fragility of these pieces requires the wearers to be conscious both of the natural, and of their own bodies. When wearing the Petals bracelet, one is aware that any slight move could destroy these paper-thin fragments, and we are drawn, consequently, to admire, appreciate, and honor them. Jewelry often blurs the line between art and function, utilitarian and aesthetic. These pieces surround the body, encircle the neck, run down the spine, and embrace the finger and wrist. These parts of the body are our vital lifelines, our primary means of interacting with the world. The pieces are clearly not practical, however, and may not comply with our accepted notions of jewelry’s size, form or materials. Utilizing them in the same manner as we wear mere accessories would destroy them. They change the actions of the body, which no longer runs and hugs and sits haphazardly. Instead, the body moves deliberately, carefully, gently. The mind is conscious' of fragile gems, dependent upon the wearer to be safely carried. What we wear is often not practical. We may refer to it as ceremonial, specific to an event, or moment. The necktie, the four-inch stiletto, the wedding dress with a twenty-five foot train, the veil, the crown, a long slim skirt, a Halloween costume... all of these are clearly recognizable in our culture, yet they restrict movement, limit sight, and otherwise dictate behavior. Their purposes range from accentuating beauty to displaying role and power. This body of work captures some of the ineffable qualities of our practices of “ceremonial” adornment.Item Translations(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 2007) Rude, Mathew Ben; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Rick PopeForm, line, and surface are the catalysts for my work. I have been constructing nonrepresentational forms from clay that I see as translations. They are reflective of my conversation with the material and a record of the firing. The pieces in the installation do not reference any specific object. They are my attempt to explore volume, line, scale, and repetition in objects designed to translate the process of wood firing. They are about physicality, passion, and process. Each object becomes an individual variation of the total process. Most forms and objects created in art have some reference to some other preexisting object and can have any variety of meanings attached to them. I know the viewer will create their own meaning and metaphor for this installation. My intention is to leave the specifics up to the viewer.