AN INTRODUCTION TO ALABAMA SCULPTORS!

Here is the ornament I had the opportunity to make at Orbix!

Today in class we talked about artists who work with wood, stone, metal, and glass. All of these artists are currently working in our home state! 

photo credit: Orbix Hot Glass

First, we watched this short video clip about the Orbix Hot Glass studio in Ft. Payne, Alabama, owned by Cal Breed: Orbix Hot Glass (Youtube). Mr. Breed exhibits his pieces all over the country and both the Huntsville Museum of Art and the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts own collections of his work! Mr. Breed is a hugely successful artist, and I had the pleasure of meeting him 12 years ago; I took a few students on a field trip to Ft. Payne in order to experience glass blowing!  Here are a few more videos about Cal Breed: 

• Cal Breed Interviewed for "Absolutely Alabama," Fox 6 News
• Cal Breed of Orbix Hot Glass Makes a Platter, Youtube
• Cal Breed, An Introduction,  glass artist, Montgomery Museum of Fine Art, (first part of three), Youtube

(You can make an appointment with Orbix Hot Glass to blow your own ornament, and there is also a glass studio in Orange Beach at the Coastal Arts Center Hot Shop where you can stop by to learn more about glass blowing!) 

photo credit: dalewis.net

We also viewed this video clip, Soul's Journey, The Creative Process, (Youtube) about a fine art furniture maker and sculptor named Dale Lewis. Mr. Lewis had a career in television, working on children's shows as a producer, set designer, and puppet maker for many years before he became a full time artist. Now, his furniture is shown in galleries and museums all over! I think the pieces look almost like cartoon furniture that came to life! Here is Mr. Lewis' website if you would like to see more: dalewis.net

Some classes had a few extra minutes to check out this guy; Corey Worden, a chainsaw carver! Mr. Worden uses a chainsaw to carve huge images such as eagles, bears, rattlesnakes, or dogs out of solid wood. Here is the video we watched of him at work: Absolutely Alabama, Chainsaw Carving. Here is his website if you would like to see more of his pieces: Corey Worden's Beneath the Bark Chainsaw Carvings.

Finally, we watched a short video about Calvin Macon and one about the Vulcan in Birmingham. Mr. Macon carves both wood and stone to make exquisite natural forms of flowers and leaves. Here is the video: Absolutely Alabama, Art of Wood and Stone, and here is his website if you would like to see more! 

There are many, many more artists who work with 3-D media in Alabama - check out these lists to see a few:
Artists of Alabama: Sculpture and Pottery
Artists of Alabama: Woodcraft and Leathercraft

(Students discussed the 3 aesthetic theories about what makes an artwork valuable, whether it is designed well (Formalism), expresses an idea or emotion (Expressionism), or looks realistic (Realism). They talked about fine art and craft, and how some artists are classically trained and others are self-taught. Students compared and contrasted the various artists while thinking about the many possibilities there are for a future career in visual art.)

(Some classes were not able to watch all 5 videos due to technical difficulty and/or time constraints.)

National Core Visual Art Standards

Today's lesson met the National Core Visual Art Anchor Standard #8: "RESPONDING"

The student will interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
 (Enduring Understanding: People gain insights into meanings of artworks by engaging in the process of art criticism.)