3-D Design
Sage Jeffers
Thomas Worthington High School|Worthington, Ohio
Untitled|14 x 6 x 1 in.
Materials: Leather, thread, copper, brass, driftwood, jump rings, clasp
Process(es): Cut, filed, sanded, formed, annealed, drilled, grinded, burned, sewn, hammered
Curatorial Note: Student has created a unique necklace jewelry design. Interesting use of materials- leather, metal, driftwood and fabric to explore the human body and the functions it performs.
“My goal was to show the body and its versatility through the use of mixed media to convey how all the body processes work together.
The final project is very different from the original sketch, but it is important to design a plan. In the beginning of the year, I did very little planning, but I matured as an artist and realized the value in planning, with this my quality of work improved.”
Student statement
Student
statement
At first, I was unsure what my theme would be. I was intrigued by the body and the skill it takes to run the daily functions that make up life. Through experimentation and research, I realized how complex our body processes are, and chose to portray them through specific textures and mixed media. The use of mixed media represents how parts of the body are all very different but work together in a beautiful way.
The name “Burned and Broken” is a representation of how I attempted to present this piece. Being the most important organ in the body, the heart can endure so much, both physically and emotionally. I chose to display this in a literal way by burning the driftwood before grinding indentations into it, as well as burning the leather to curl it in a shape representative of veins. I formed large pieces of metal to create the chambers of the heart, however, I spaced them slightly apart to represent being fractured or “broken.”
Sage Jeffers
Material(s): Leather, thread, copper, brass, driftwood, jump rings, clasp
Process(es): Cut, filed, sanded, formed, annealed, drilled, grinded, burned, sewn, hammered
Anatomically, I aimed to create realistic looking features for each piece. I formed pieces of brass to look like they were bubbling, to be fat on the heart's surface, as well as embroidering the lungs to represent the bronchi. Abstract elements such as bright colors and funky shapes were incorporated as well to provide a well-rounded interpretation of the body parts I created.
I often struggle with planning my pieces, typically choosing to dive right in without a real plan, however, these pieces showed me the more definitive the plan, the better the piece will turn out.
Teacher Statement
Teacher Statement
Erin Johnson
This past school year, 2021-2022, was my first year teaching AP 3-D Art and Design at Thomas Worthington High School. Even though I’ve been teaching for quite some time, my students and I were navigating the AP waters together. I feel very lucky to have had such a strong group of metal-smithing students my first time around. Much of what we did for AP is how we work in the classroom. I always encourage students to: research, experiment, collaborate, learn new techniques, perfect technical skills, stretch comfort levels as well as expand their 3D material choices. The biggest challenge for my students was deciding on their sustained investigation. Once they got going, each project gave them more confidence and the ability to trust their own creative thought process. Watching my students grow and their artistic journeys was wonderful to witness.
Materials(s): Leather, thread, copper, brass, driftwood jump clasp
Process(es): Used textures to show fat and distinguish the chambers of the heart, and embroidery to show veins.
Sage is talented, technically skilled, self-motivated, a pleasure to work with, and doesn’t back away from challenges or setbacks. She likes to sometimes work more organically and let things happen. That doesn’t always produce strong pieces. We worked on the importance of research and just having a solid plan. Taking more time to plan, dialogue, and do small mock-ups really helped her develop a strong group of works dealing with the body and function. I think the fact she enjoys working with many types of materials helped her create such wonderful textures, forms, and colors that brought her pieces to life. I'm so proud of all she has accomplished and am thrilled she will be with me again this next year—I can’t wait to see her next collection of work! She will definitely serve as a positive and talented role model for the incoming AP students.
Untitled|8 x 4 x 0.5 in.
Material(s): Thread, cabochon Stone, leather, metal, tube wire, acrylic
Process(es): Cut, sanded, filed, shaped, riveted, sewed, burned, drilled, soldered, annealed, polished
Material(s): Used string to create nerves coming off the lungs and leather to create organs
Process(es): Textured the stomach with the inside being the small intestine, and the domes being the large
Sage Jeffers