In this investigation I use the term perception as Arthur Comb and Donald Snygg do when they state that perception is any differentiation the individual is capable of making in his personal field. Perception has to do with the organization one gives to his world. Behavior and learning are products of perceiving. Immanuel Kant said: "We see things not as they are but as we are." During this effort to organize my world I realized that I was concerned with myself as an experiencing individual. I felt that one is built out of his experiences and that the best vantage point for understanding behavior is from the internal frame of reference of the individual himself. I was taking a somewhat phenomenological approach to my problem.

As my creative project, I decided to explore the possibilities for expression of rhythmic life-growth patterns in a variety of abstracted multiple forms. The work was planned to investigate the following questions: 1. What forms can be used to communicate the idea of repetitive, rhythmic or seasonal life or growth patterns? 2. What size/scale is effective in communicating the universal, infinite character of these patterns? 3. What formats or types of presentation are the most effective? 4. How is the overall impact of the work affected by changes in size and form? 5. How do changes in the work affect my responses to it, and what subsequent directions result in the work?

My work dealt with the life within inanimate objects and what occurred when one placed apparently unrelated objects together in an arrangement. The arrangements had three interrelated elements: the objects, spacial relationships, and materials.

The problem being dealt with concerns the investigation of the conceptual and expressive potential of mold-formed units in combination with other media and processes. The questions under consideration are as follows: 1. Do the concepts of pieces vary with the materials and process being used? How? 2. What alterations occur in the visual image as a result of the change in media and processes? 3. What mechanical and technical problems are involved in the mold-formed process?

As much as I like the effects of low-fire salting, I hesitate to use salt. The hydrochloric acid released into the environment during the salting process creates a dense fog that is not only toxic, but visually offensive as well. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to find a source of sodium that would achieve aesthetic results as equally exciting as the effects of salt.

My concerns relate to the process of imagery development and the process of utilizing suitable materials to execute my work. These concerns are dictated by the themes in a particular piece and revolve around an acute sense of loss. These themes are frequently presented with humor.

Two ways of apprehending reality were intimated; reality as a function of purely visual stimuli and reality as a substantial object. The problem was, therefore, an exploration of reality as a purely visual sense and reality as concrete form. In pursuing the project, I explored how each reality distinguished itself by separating each in the prior conception of the work and in the subsequent discussion.

In the history of ceramics my interest centers around times in particular cultures when ceramic containers were an essential part of life. I am most interested in functional pottery produced in nineteenth century North America between the years 1800-1870. This was a period in which some of the finest pots used for containing things were produced.

The problem of this investigation was to determine if there was a relationship between scale, forma and technique in the making of welded steel sculpture, and to determine the best method(s) of working on three size categories and in two basic categories of form. The size categories were two to four feet, four to eight feet and over eight feet in any dimension with the other dimensions such that the sculpture enclosed a volume of space. The two categories of form were geometric or inorganic (forms based on geometry or mathematics) and organic (forms found in, or resembling those in nature). The effects of scale, form, and technique(s) in the production of these sculptures were observed and a determination was made concerning which technique presented the most advantageous approach to the creation of welded steel sculpture in each category.

The unique nature of this process raised major technical questions that I intended to address during this project. The purpose was to obtain a quality surface, considering both visual and textural considerations, while using the copper matt finish.

I have designed and built a brickless ceramic studio kiln which is modular in design and consists of ceramic fiber insulation and a protective aluminum exterior skin. I wanted a kiln that employed current technology and would be suited to my needs as a ceramic artist. It is my hope that this research will encourage people to consider the possibilities available when constructing new kilns and to be willing to experiment in order to find new solutions to the problems that continually confront us.

I constructed ceramic/mixed media instruments, recorded rhythmic music composed for and played on my instruments, and prepared a slide presentation portraying my daily rituals a studio artist. I describe in this paper the process involved in creating this environment and give an interpretation of the work by answering the following questions. 1. What were the rituals that were essential to the creation of my work? 2. In what ways did the use of the different visual and audio media work together to create a unified environment? 3. In what ways was the total experience of the different media a more direct and fulfilling expression of my goals as an artist, or are these goals better fulfilled when working in one media?

The purposes of this Problem in Lieu of Thesis are: 1. To explore the use of stretched fabric over constructed wire armatures to create sculptural forms that suggest the potential for flight; and 2. To evaluate the artistic merits of such forms as they relate to an interior architectural environment.

It was my intent that the formats work harmoniously with the printed matter, conceptually, aesthetically, and functionally. Specific concerns addressed were 1. How did the format contribute to a clearer understanding of the print concept? 2. How did the functional design and construction of the formats contribute to or detract from the successful unification of print and format? 3. How did the aesthetic design and construction of the formats contribute to or detract from the successful unification of print and format? Five formats were constructed, several consisting of multiple parts. A comparative photographic record of each print, as originally conceived and subsequently displayed within these formats, will be presented for evaluation.

The intent of this study was to construct a group of forty wheel-thrown vessels, comprised of four forms, in series of ten. The surface of these pots was to be enriched through the use of various materials and techniques. These included slip trailing, brushed slip, glaze and over glaze colorants. The decorative theme I pursued was based on abstract floral images. I admire both the ordered structure of plant forms and the slightly imperfect symmetry contained within their various parts. I have attempted to express their gestural quality and delicate nature in my surface decoration.

In developing the ideas for this project, one of the major questions to be addressed was how well this method of combining prints, drawings and jewelry into a single collage would contribute to expressing the themes of intimacy and secretiveness already present in the individual pieces. It seemed that surrounding the jewelry with an environment that shared and repeated the private qualities of these objects would increase the intimacy of the work.

I developed twenty-three stains to use in low-temperature salt firing for my work. The stains that i made were compared to the commercially made stains to determine the similarities and differences. I felt that after much experimentation using a variety of different oxides in different amounts and calcining these amounts together in an electric kiln (heating the oxides up to about 1733 degrees Fahrenheit) that I was able to produce stable and consistent stains.

Questions that arise are: 1. How will the form and content of my current work be affected by a more implicit narrative form? 2. How will the work be affected by: a. source of imagery? b. scale of images and overall works? c. materials? d. intent? Will the intent of my current work change because of a more linear narrative format? 3. Assuming the narrative will change from one piece to another, what will be the effect of placement of images in each work and how will the placement of each work in relation to the others be affected?

The question addressed in this project is as follows: How, if at all, are nostalgia and ambiance created in my work through the use of the following: 1. color 2. repeated patterns from textiles, wallpaper, and quilts 3. dimension 4. text 5. personal and nostalgic imagery 6. art deco motifs 7. fixed media/found objects. Each of these items will be discussed as it relates to each piece.

Ikat is a technique used throughout the world for the surface enrichment of textiles. In Ikat, patterns are dyed into the warp, weft, or both by the use of various resists such as twine or plastic wrapped tightly around a group of yarns. The dyed yarns are then unwrapped and woven into fabric. Instead of stretching an entire warp or weft on a frame to apply resist, yarn can also be measured into small groups for tying and dyeing. These small groups of yarn can be dyed with simple patterns and later rearranged and combined to create more complex designs. In order to investigate the possibilities of the above mentioned methods, a series of Ikat fabrics was developed.

The idea for this creative project evolved as the result of communication between myself and Cathie Bernhardt during the first half of 1977. Both of us had been dealing with similar concepts such as reliquary-like containers and the objects contained within them. We also had a congruent approach concerning the use of materials and the manner in which they can be fabricated. These two things resulted in a mutual respect for each other's forms and imagery. We, therefore, decided to explore and combine specific aspects of our talent and, in collaboration, produce a series of pieces. Our project became one of collaborative art, and we defined that as follows: One, the process of discussing ideas for pieces; Two, the act of working on pieces together, Three, the completion of pieces wherein both artists have contributed significantly to the final products.

In order to discover more about the nature of my work, I conducted an investigation of the evolution of symbols generated in a body of work. For the purpose of this study the term symbol was defined as something that represents the term symbol was defined as something that represents another entity by association, resemblance, or convention, specifically, a material object or image used to represent an idea.

After practicing Interior Design professionally for ten years and concurrently watching the rapid expansion of the use of computers in the business world, the problem of incorporating the use of computers into the field of interior design became increasingly important to me. Many designers seem to be rather leery of "the computer" and they are reluctant to accept it as a valuable tool in their design process. One aspect of applying the use of the computer to the interior design field is in the area of pattern generation for fabrics and wallcoverings. It is this area that will be explored in the following project.

My intent in this creative project has been to further explore the transcendence of reality in my work in seven still lifes. The body of work done for this problem was reviewed and analyzed after completion rather than during the process.