ONSITE: Hand Building: Sculpture Meets Function

Design some unique wares that teeter between the realms of function and sculpture. This clas will construct some gravity-defying, mystifying objects that are more than a feast for the eyes. Expand your understanding of what it means to create with clay, pushing past the perception that for an object to be a sculpture it cannot also be useful. Ask what it means for an object to be useful and what purposes it must fulfill in order to be deemed valuable in domestic spaces. Learn about artists who work in the mode of functional sculpture and contribute to the conversation by making works that converse with theirs.

Special Notes

• Students should have prior experience with hand-building techniques. Prior to the first class, the instructor will send a list of recommended tools to bring.
  
  This instructor speaks Spanish, but the class is held in English.
  
  You will receive 25 pounds of clay; additional clay is available for purchase. 
  
  This is an On-site course. Students must follow current Covid-19 protocols, as outlined on our website. On-site courses do not come with studio access outside of class time. Paid open studio access is available through our Studio Access Program. Please visit visarts.org for more information.
  
  

About the Instructor

Claudia Meyer

Claudia is an artist and object-maker living and working in Richmond, VA primarily working in clay and paper media. She graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a BFA in Sculpture + Extended Media in 2020. Her handbuilt works in clay, although they are made of hardened earth, feel soft to the touch. Their colors are as jovial and earthly as bursting laughter. These objects emit energy through their whimsical forms and patterns. She learns from the way that the moon and the trees wave to each other and the deep knowledge rooted in the earth and our bodies.

Through her teaching, she aims to democratize the classroom space, leveling the student/teacher relationship to one of reciprocity rather than authority. Her students learn just as much from the world around them as they do from each other. In her classroom, Claudia exists as a guide for her creative students' journeys and she endeavors to teach her students limitlessness in their creative pursuits.

Instagram: @ paloma.claudi

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