The object of this problem in lieu of thesis has been the exploration and identification of the retained two dimensional design idiom in the sculptural format of my work. (By this, I am referring to the lateral, planar quality which often continues as part of my designs.)

For the purpose of this study I intended to use Majolica to allow me both more flexibility in the physical act of decorating my ceramic work, as well as the opportunity for the expansion of my selection of symbols. During this investigation the following questions were addressed: 1. Was the color range attainable with Majolica relevant to my work? 2. Was my chosen imagery complemented by the special properties of Majolica. 3. Did the textural possibilities of Majolica benefit my work?

To emphasize the preciousness of these tools, I envisioned object-specific carrying cases, like a violin case or my grandmother's china cabinet. The object-specific case or cabinet is, like the tool it houses, special and singular inits utility and serves to underscore the ceremonial nature of the tool. Of all the examples of object-specific environments I've looked at, most have been constructed of fine woods; many have also been either covered or lined with various skins, silk, or velvet to reflect the preciousness of their contents.

My work has developed to the point where it exists within the grey area between painting and sculpture. These hybrid works necessitate the transition from creating objects to that work singularly to installations of various works that operate as a whole. The purpose of this study is to identify successful methods of making this transition through the use of the computer. The computer should provide new strategies to integrate sculpture and painting into a hybrid form.

My work contains physical and illusionary layers of images which reflect or relate cultural and personal experiences. These experiences address collective cultural patterns or personal and collective experience simultaneously. Visual metaphorical and literal patterns represent behavior and experiences. Inherent in the presentation of these types of patterns and experiences is the implication of time and the relationships between old, new, and changed experience. One vehicle for effectively portraying these linear layers of literal/metaphorical images in fibers could be visual images representing a metaphorical pattern combined with literal patterns. The literal pattern would either reflect or have a relationship with the metaphorical pattern. Another vehicle for expressing the linear layers of images could be varying representations of depth of field exist.

I am interested, both from a personal standpoint and from a cultural perspective, in pursuing the meaning of thes eimages singly and as they combine with others. In turn, the results, I hope, will lead to the discovery of more images for my image encyclopedia. After this introduction subsequent chapters will explore my reasons for the combinations of images I choose and will place the finished drawings in their contemporary art context. My goal will be to note the changing meanings of the objects as they interact serially.

I was curious as to what my work was about and what images were important to me. There had to be a reason why I was driven to do what I did, whether it was a conscious, conceptual purpose or a subconscious, intuitive reason. The problem of this investigation was to discover which of these I used in the creation of my images or whether I used both.

For the problem in lieu of thesis, a series of ten works were created in which a male image replaced the female image; I continued to utilize the same materials, format, and centralized frontal figure. A record of the work was accomplished by maintaining a written and visual journal on progress and outcome. Some research was made into topics related to the work, and the findings from the literature comprise chapter two of the paper. In executing this body of work and researching related topics, I hoped to better understand my conscious and unconscious processes and motivations in creating both the self-portrait series and the new series.

I endeavored to investigate how temporal forms could be used as an avenue for addressing my sculptural concerns. These concerns included the relationship of form to material, the temporary manifestation of enduring principles, and responsibility to materials and their meanings. My pursuit of this investigation arose from both a search for alternatives in a field with a tradition of permanent object orientation and an effort to expand my own perceptions of what constitutes sculpture and the activity of sculpting.

Although clay has been used throughout history as an embellishment of architectural structures, clay elements have usually remained subordinate to existing architectural forms. Three-dimensional ceramic modules which divided an existing space, altered or obscured architectural forms, and intersected with or penetrated established planes provided a greater interaction between clay and architecture. I explored the use of clay as an integral three-dimensional element which interacted with an architectural space, rather than merely surfacing it. Because the installation of these works was temporary, methods of connecting the clay elements to the architecture were also investigated.

The act of putting anything on a base isolates it and makes it seem more precious. The base separates the viewer from the sculpture and affects the relationship between the sculpture and viewer. The problem for me was to remove the base and experiment with the possibilities now opened to my work. The purpose of this study was to explore the presentation potentials of sculpture freed from the constraints of the plinth.

The objective of my problem in lieu of thesis was to produce twenty hand-built porcelain objects which reflected this conception of beauty. To review the success of my project, I asked three questions to evaluate my work. 1. Was there significant structure to my works? 2. Was there significant discord within these structures? 3. Did the tension created through the interaction of these two elements of my work create beauty?

a. How does the use of different materials such as string, screen, fabric or wire personalize the work? b. How does the addition of subtly recognizable imagery change the reductive field? c. How do processes such as wrapping, printing, dripping, and other techniques infer meaning? d. How does the choice of color and scale affect the work?

The goal of this problem was to incorporate clear nylon monofilamnet in a series of weaves traditionally chosen for their absorbent virtues that in these cases would achieve interesting textural effects and light-reflective qualities in addition to varying degrees of transparency.

In this proposed study, I hoped to discover compositional elements that once added to the work would convey my conceptual ideas. I was interested in exploring the addition of deep pictorial space and increasing the size disparity between the figures as possible solutions for injecting a level of irony and/or eluding to the subverted agenda of the content. I wanted to see if these two secondary compositional adjustments subtly conveyed not only a strategic contradiction of the art historical concept of expressionism but the numerous accepted truths in society.

The purpose of this research was to develop a body of work which exhibited unity between form and surface, but which relied upon a combination of deliberate intent (specific form, glaze, firing temperature, etc.) and the occurrence of random accident to achieve this unity. The project dealt with the integration of altered wheel-thrown and hand-built organic clay forms with a variety of surface treatments. The firing/glazing techniques chosen (which included cone 9 reduction firing, raku firing, and saggar firing) could be controlled to some degree. However, even minor differences in glaze and/or firing treatments evolved through a variety of chance incidents into marked differences in the finished piece.

The content of my work focused on examining the relationship between certain elements of nature and of human beings and was also based on the question of what true life is. The woodcut process - combined with the other printing techniques such as intaglio, collagraph, and monotype - was adopted as a potentially successful medium for conveying the content of the work. Overlay printing techniques and repeated textures were utilized as well.

I wished to explore ways to introduce my futuristic symbols in my work that have a relevant universality, support a primordial mysticism, and maintain a personal spirituality. This would be achieved by utilizing imagery with both contemporary and futuristic connotations. This type of imagery would require specific sculptural techniques more refined than was previously present in my work. The sculpture would consist of solitary, tensely postured, monumental figures composed according to a classically proportioned totemic model.

I believe the frame or housing of a printed image plays an integral role in the context of the work. It functions as a vehicle for possible interpretation. It should respond to and complement the concept of the central image. The image presented in a vessel or reliquary format should instill a meditative or religious response.

I believe that an artist needs a mechanism(s) built into his or her working method out of which the greatest number of options may arise. I suggested that, for me, painting on paper could be one such mechanism. I wanted to pursue paper as a viable surface on which to paint and discover to what extent it would influence my choices in the working process.

The purpose of this problem-in-lieu of thesis is to explore the effect of scale in my sculpture, on me as an artist as well as the viewer. My work addressed the following questions: 1. Can smaller-than-life-size sculpture communicate with the same intensity as my previous life-size work? 2. How does scale affect the ability of the work to communicate ideas and feelings? 3. Can the sculpture be as confrontational without occupying space as we do? 4. Does a larger-than-life-size piece gain intensity in any of these questions due to its scale? 5. How does scale affect my feelings toward the work and my method of working?

The focus of the problem was to challenge the more traditional. Western approaches to jewelry as adornment in respect to areas such as placement and scale. Approaching adornment as sculptural forms interacting with the human body could possibly challenge the individual's awareness of jewelry as wearable art. This approach brought up the issue of using the human body as a pedestal for adornment.

My proposed objective was to create eight illustrations using Fusion as a tool to communicate concepts. I posed the following questions for evaluation. 1. Can I create two-dimensional illustrations effectively when applying the knowledge and techniques I have studied? 2. In what way will the use of multiple techniques affect the concept?

Just as packaging in its most mundane, pragmatic sense refers to the commercial and traditional aspects of jewelry, so also does display. In addition to being a mere vehicle for presentation, the idea of display creates an intriguing set of design and conceptual problems which seem to be a natural extension of my current and ongoing concerns.