Materials Hard + Soft Art Lessons

Materials: Hard and Soft International Contemporary Craft Competition and Exhibition is recognized as one of the premier craft exhibitions in the country was began in 1987 by Denton artist Georgia Leach Gough. The below student lessons were made possible by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts. DISD 8th grade ART 3 students were provided with the supplies necessary for these projects. For more information and questions, please email education@dentonarts.com.

Vessel/Coiled Basket

Your project can be a traditional coiled basket weaving piece or once you start the project you could create a unique shape or abstract sculpture.

Supplies

  • Coiling core or rope

  • Yarn, other strips of material, or ribbon

  • a large needle. Plastic is great.

Video Resources

Katie Shulman
Basket body v.1, 2020
Artist clothing, plastic tubing, and wire

Artist Website
Artist Instagram

Coiled basket

Additive/Subtractive Sculpture

Cut and paste a minimum of 15 to 20 pages or more, and sand edges after dry to create a 3D paper sculpture.

Supplies

  • Paper of different colors to layer

  • Glue

  • Paint brush to spread glue

  • Sandpaper or files to sand with

  • Wire to stand on

Video Resource

Benjamin Johnson
Erosion Field, 2019
Glass blown and diamond engraved

Artist Website
CIA Faculty Profile

Construction Paper Sculpture

Soft Sculpture Friends

Sew your own soft sculpture of friend that shares your personality or characteristics.

Supplies

  • Fabric, paper, and/or socks

  • Needle and thread

  • Various embellishments:
    buttons, beads, eyes, pompoms, jewels, etc.

Video Resource

Beronica Gonzales, Denton, TX
This is me taking a nap (My idea of comfort), 2019
Paper, paper pulp, found sewing pattern, and thread

Kathy Brown, Denton, TX
Clothes You Can’t Remove: Pre and Post Breonna Taylor, 2020
Hand sewn fabrics, wire, and Mannequin head

Handmade soft sculpture

Weaving

Weaving is an age old craft that can be worn décor, or abstract sculpture. Make your own scarf with warp strings through dowel rods.

Supplies

  • Yarn, string, ribbons, or thin strips of fabric.

  • Dowel rods or pencils with holes drilled in one end for warp strings to go through. The number of rods equals the width of the weaving/scarf.

Resources

Päivi Vaarula
Internal Time Travel, 2020
Wool, natural dyes, woven

Weaving on dowel rods