Whimsical Metal Sculpture

Submitted by: Vivian Komando, Pope John Paul II High School, Hendersonville, TN
UNIT: Sculpture - Mixed Media - Textures
Grade Level: Middle school through high school

 

Vivian created a PowerPoint using the work of Beth Piver. Some of the images are shown here.

Images are shown by permission of the artist. All images are copyrighted (and may only be used for in class presentations - no commercial use)

 

Beth Piver Designs (Archive) consists of a husband and wife team of artists who design and create a wide range of contemporary artwork. They are best known for mixed metal sculpture and jewelry, which can be found in galleries and craft stores around the country and overseas. Constructed from silver, copper, brass, bronze and colored metal wire, the jewelry is assembled by hand using "cold-connections." This technique, which uses rivets, nuts and bolts instead of soldering, gives the work an unusual texture and a striking visual aesthetic. Many of the pieces also incorporate spinning or moving parts to accent the jewelry's whimsical nature. (See some examples of their jewelry)

 

            

 

Finished works are about 6" to 9" (15 to 23 cm) in size.

Like their jewelry, their mixed-media sculpture is constructed from a variety of metals, as well as wood, computer-generated imagery, and all kinds of unusual found objects. Most of their sculptural work is figurative, and they often create pieces that are bizarre characters with their own personalities. Many pieces also have elements that spin, bend, spring or twist (See some examples of their sculptures)

 

Beth Piver’s works are the latest manifestation of her artistic explorations. Her pieces are full of color and energy, and are typically very abstract. The result is a body of artwork that is exciting and quite unique!

 

Resources:

Beth Piver Designs (Archive)

Also see Mullanium - jewelry and wall art designed by Jim Mullen and produced by a group of artists in Florida.

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/mudmetal/jebymu.html
http://www.artistsmarket.com/crafts/mullanium.htm (See the archived page also)
http://www.offthewallnm.com/clocks/mullanium.htm (Archive)

Alternate lesson - Abstract/Non-Objective Wall Art - See Natalie Krol's mixed metal wall creations.

 

Books

Fabulous Jewelry from Found Objects - Just because the raw materials for these projects are castoffs--small forks, pencil stubs, broken glass, old magazines--it doesn't mean the results are second-rate. Along with photos of the projects are pictures of dramatic creations credited to other artists.

 

Jewelry and Accessories from Everyday Objects - Fish lures are transformed into necklace charms, fountain pen nibs are turned into tinkling Beads, tiny toy zebras are paired with ponies to become delicate dangling earrings. While the items used in Jewelry & Accessories from Everyday Objects undergo a change of context, none of them is significantly modified.

 

Elegant Wire Jewelry: Contemporary Designs & Creative Techniques - Chicago-based designer Frey emphasizes ease of fashioning as well as ease on wallets. All approximately 20 projects are well illustrated in terms of step-by-step visual instructions, finished photographs, and written details. Simple bending, twisting, straightening, and sanding are the only fundamentals to master; other techniques, from oxidizing to inserting Beads, can be added as confidence grows.

 

Vocabulary:

Background - Bizarre - Cold connection - Computer generated imagery
Foreground - Found Object - Figurative sculpture - Incising - Linear Quality
Middle ground - Mixed Media - Nonsensical - Rubbings - Whimsical

 

Materials:

Tooling Foil in assorted colors, Scissors, Sculpture Wire (various sizes and metals), Jewelry Pliers, found objects, computer – generated images, cut – outs from magazines or newspapers, Fabric, recycled pieces from aluminum cans, watches, or jewelry, wire, nuts, nails, screws, or bolts (hit the garage sales for old jewelry to incorporate), various hardware screens, texture panels (Op Art texture panels work well), Clay Modeling Tools, rivets/eyelets, brads. Odds and ends metal parts (check a recycling center near you or hardware store)

 

Motivation:

Present PowerPoint of work by Beth Piver (Archive). Discuss work -Critique. Show other examples of assemblage art. Present materials and techniques to use.

 

Assignment:

Student create their own nonsensical, whimsical, figurative sculpture. Their piece is to have the following:

1. Two sketches of designs for your figurative sculpture. Give it personality!

2. Mixed Media – Incorporate various materials such as metal, computer – generated images, cut – outs from magazines or newspapers, fabric, recycled pieces from aluminum cans, watches, or jewelry, wire, nuts, nails, screws, or bolts. You are to have at least 3 different materials in your sculpture.

3. Design elements to be used should include:

A. The CONTRAST / VARIETY of materials. (Metal, paper, fabric, wire )
B. The CONTRAST of human to machine.
C. TEXTURE within certain shapes, which may be created by incising or rubbings
D. PATTERN created by repetition of shapes or weaving of materials
E. LINEAR quality somewhere on the sculpture

Student critique, Rubric based on criteria.

 

Beth Piver Photo Gallery

Contemporary Sculpture - Metal Work Mixed Media - Whimsical - Nonsensical

Selected works to inspire students for mixed media sculpture. Images are used with permission of artist for this lesson by Vivian Komando. All images are copyrighted by the artist and can only be used by art teachers for educational in class use. For any other use contact Beth Piver.

 

Whimsical Sculpture. More examples may be found on Beth Piver's Web site. I can see these figures inspiring a box/assemblage project (larger sculpture work - maybe combined with scrap wood)

Whimsical jewelry. More examples may be found on Beth Piver's Web site.

 

            

            

 

Questions from Vivian's PowerPoint Analyze the elements that make up the whole: What types of metal do you see? Is the metal smooth or textured? Describe where you see changes in the surface of the metal. How is that achieved? What recognizable shapes do you see? How is the sculpture put together? What is different about the arms from the rest of the sculpture? Is something missing from this figurative work?

Questions from Vivian Komando's PowerPoint Analyze and interpret the artist’s intent: What does this look like to you? What parts resemble something real? Describe the types of shapes used What do you think the artist wanted this piece to represent ? Do you think the artist wanted the viewer to see a figure of some type?