Sculpture

An image depicting work at the School of Art + Design.
Sculpture is an art without limits. Sculptors can shape marble, bronze, wood, and wax. They can use clay, metal, paper, and paint. They can incorporate photography, video, text, and sound. They can work with scissors, scalpels, chisels, and hands. Sculpture has a long past and a bold future—and our goal at the School of Art + Design is to root you firmly in both the traditions and innovations of the art.

The Sculpture Program provides a course of study that fosters the development of students' individual interests, with an emphasis on concept and innovation, critical thinking skills, familiarity with current art theory and practice, and visual and cultural literacy, as well as professional skills and habits that allow students to establish a unique, self-directed studio practice.

At the Sophomore level, Sculpture students are introduced to basic skills and concepts of 3-D design and fabrication, mold making, and other techniques. Students also experiment with a variety of materials in order to explore and understand strategies for expressing meaning as they gain knowledge and familiarity in the use of the wide variety of materials that are part of contemporary art.

As Juniors and Seniors, students are introduced to recent and current theories of art and culture while they develop verbal and written skills leading to the BFA Thesis and Thesis Exhibition. Students develop a self-directed studio practice in their own studio spaces, housed in a communal studio building, while they have access to a diverse faculty with expertise in a wide variety of conceptual, material and technical strategies for making art, including traditional Painting and Drawing, installation art, 3-D and Sculpture, and other strategies taught in the School of Art and Design. The studio situation provides the basis for a strong, vibrant community of student-artists working together as they establish their interests.

The mission of the Sculpture Program is to foster students' growth into working artists with an understanding of the professional art world that will prepare them for advanced study in studio art, for careers in museums, galleries, arts agencies, as critics and theorists, and as professional studio artists.

Resources in Sculpture

Facilties available to our sculpture students include:

Sculpture Curriculum Requirements

The curriculum in sculpture provides a broad, solid foundation in the disciplines of drawing, design, and p ainting, including both traditional and contemporary concepts. The curriculum combines sculpture courses with Art + Design foundation courses, art history courses, electives, and general education units required by the university.

Sculpture degree requirements are listed under the College of Fine and Applied Arts on the University of Illinois Programs of Study website.

Core Faculty

  • Conrad Bakker

    Conrad Bakker

  • Stephen Cartwright

    Stephen Cartwright