RISD Project Open Door: Organic Form Projects

This semester I’m teaching a course for RISD Project Open Door. POD is a wonderfully unique program, whose dual mission is to “1) to increase access to high quality arts learning and careers in art and design for under-served Rhode Island teens, and (2) to provide a community education laboratory for RISD students, alumni, faculty, and staff.” I’m teaching the Portfolio course, which is for sophomores and juniors in high school.

I wrote in this past post about the beginning of our organic form project, constructed from reed, armature wire, and paper mache. We worked on the paper mache stage for two classes.  This technique is very simple, all you have to do is pour 90% Elmer’s Glue and 10% water to create the paper mache mixture. Next, tracing paper is dipped in the glue mixture and applied to the reed framework.  The process looks very messy while the glue is wet, but when it dries, it stretches the tracing paper and creates a beautiful translucent quality. Below you can see some of the finished works!