How can we, as furniture artists, sculptors, craftspeople and designers, apply conceptual approaches to the objects we make and the processes we employ? Functional objects facilitate many activities in our daily lives. They not only define how we navigate and interpret space, but also frame our social interactions both physically and psychologically. For these reasons, they have been used as vehicles for communicating ideas and carrying meaning beyond their primary function. They have the capacity to communicate personal histories, examine and challenge cultural values, and presents unique opportunities to explore the intersection of art and life. Can the function of utilitarian objects, the histories of their making, and the social role of domestic objects give us pathways to envision and create Conceptual Objects? For this studio we will be exploring themes that span and question the boundaries between art, craft, and design. Each project during the semester investigates a conceptual strategy or approach to object making. This studio functions as part “think tank” and part “experimental laboratory” where we will discuss and investigate a variety of approaches, materials, methods, and aesthetic choices. We will consider the work of artists, designers, and furniture makers, and investigate specific works that blur the lines between prescribed and often constrictive categories.

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