Tag: sculpture

Since October is a popular month for visual arts undergraduate students to begin researching and applying for graduate schools, I’d like to share some reflections from current MFA sculpture candidate, Kimberly Day as to why she chose Clemson University over a big city school.

Although many students are drawn to Clemson University because of its reputation for having a highly ranked football team, this was not on Kymberly Day’s list of criteria when looking for a strong MFA program. After graduating with her BFA, Kymberly joined a Greenville independent studio. During this time she applied to “big city” graduate art schools, two Portland universities and Clemson University. Some of Kymberly’s main concerns were affordability, living proximity, the program’s reputation, and the pace. Clemson’s MFA program ranked highly in each of these categories, making Clemson University Kymberly’s first choice.

The year-round paid teaching assistant position was a huge influence in Kymberly’s monetary minded decision. Clemson is in a rural location and has a lower cost of living comparative to some bigger city schools she was considering. Working in large three-dimensional sculptures and not having to rely on public transportation was a huge advantage as well. Clemson’s program is also known for placing graduates in teaching positions which is a rarity with other schools. Lastly, Kymberly found that the pace and social environment of the program was very supportive, a refreshing reality to more cut throat programs.

If you are looking to apply to the Clemson MFA program, search for dates and application requirements at http://www.clemson.edu/caah/departments/art/academics/graduate/applying.html or contact our MFA Program Coordinator, Dave Detrich, ddavid@clemson.edu.

Earlier this month, Center for Visual Arts-Lee Gallery at Clemson University interns visited the studio of sculpture professor and the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) graduate program coordinator, Dave Detrich. All of the art department professors are not only teachers, but they are working artists. Interns were able to view his sculpture in person and they had an opportunity to ask him questions. Here is a summarized account of his answers.

What is your visual arts background?

Detrich was initially interested in architecture. His mentor and professor, Dan Lowery, at Southwestern Illinois College, served as huge inspiration and motivation towards a career in art. He received his BFA from the Kanas City Art Institute, Missouri and his MFA from Alfred University, New York. Viewing the building of the St. Louis arch inspired questions about the anomaly on the landscape within his work.

Has your industrialized location influenced your work?

St. Louis’s urbanization, industrialization, and its city parks are all cultural initiatives that have inspired Detrich’s sculpture. His father’s job working on a motor assembly line also influenced the direction of his work.

What is the context that your work presents itself?

Detrich focuses heavily on preparatory research and values originality of content he is addressing. Often, he extracts elements discourse subjects to create irony.

Is there a reason you have been using wall sculpture versus sculpture in the round in your current work?

The wall is a place he consistently goes to as a building site. His current work considers consumerism in the automotive and fashion industries. He is using a coring tool to create circular cuts in magazines of these subjects and arrange these chance cuts into connected images.

Is there a reoccurring starting point that you return to for inspiration?

Through collecting, Detrich tries to find the ironic connections between things unrelated. Many of his ideas are the result of months of processing through ideas, making the forecast of his work unpredictable.

You wrote that your sculpture is most successful when it poses a question rather than make a statement. If it does this, what action do you want your viewers to take?

He believes his work is successful when it invites his viewers to ponder rather than answer a question for them. He does not seek an editorial approach, but rather one that initiates a dialogue.

Detrich’s current works are investigating the poetry of paint chip names, the intersections between automobiles and fashion, and the elements of Piet Mondrian’s minimalism.

The visit was enlightening to the students. They were able to understand Detrich’s artistic journey, his particular mode of working, and his translation of ideas through his sculpture and its impact on viewers.