Sussex Academy students solve problems through art

When the students in Rebecca Frankum’s sculpture and 3D design class enhance their problem-solving skills while also making art at Sussex Academy, they’re really onto something.

“I love it when they have ownership of their own work,” Frankum said. “I like to see what they come up with when I’m out of the way.”

Students first created fish maquettes, which are small, three-dimensional models used by artists and architects to plan larger works, using paper-mache, card stock, newspaper and paper.

“They had so much fun doing the fish, we decided to do a larger model for the summative assessment,” Frankum said. “It was tricky to stabilize, and it had to be structurally sound.”

Students exercised their artistic license during the construction of their fish, some using fabrics and paper, adding gills and eyes. Other students chose a more abstract route with decorations, unconcerned about the anatomy of the fish.

“It was a real 3D challenge to turn regular objects into 3D,” Frankum said. “We don’t have a kiln, so we’re next starting a unit on clay forms using Model Magic. Students will first have to figure out how to use it, then they’ll make balloon animals in the style of Jeff Koons. We do a lot of hands-on, active problem solving in this class.”