Hot Processes! Exploring Heat as a Transformative Force in Sculpture In this course students will explore the history, theory, and making of sculpture using heat-based processes. Students will engage with hot processes in glass, clay, and metal, gaining technical proficiency while investigating the material transformations that occur through high-temperature methods of object making. Emphasis will be placed on both conceptual development and craftsmanship, encouraging students to consider the relationship between process, material, and meaning. Lectures, demonstrations, and studio practice will guide the development of a cohesive body of work that integrates conceptual rigor and technical skill. Readings from a range of scholarly texts and art books will guide the conceptual and material growth of each student’s work.

Sculpture I In this sculpture class we will foreground “process” in the creation of form. We will address a variety of traditional tool and material relationships as well as inventing new and unusual processes with unconventional materials and tools. Parallel to studio-based experimentation we will engage in a weekly practice of critique learning how to process the visual with language. The class will be organized around a series of existing artworks, texts and films that will serve as models to help guide our collective inquiry.

The Centered Self In this course students will explore the creation of personas and constructed identities as tools for artistic expression. We will investigate how these strategies enable artists to transcend personal boundaries, challenge cultural norms, and build immersive narratives. Through research, critique, and hands-on making, students will create embodied characters and objects that challenge conventions. Projects will incorporate a range of materials and techniques, encouraging experimental approaches to identity, storytelling, and spatial invention allowing students to push the boundaries of self-expression and create alternative realities that challenge traditional artistic forms. The course will include trips to study local collections alongside the Contemporary Native Arts class. No previous experience required.

Figure Sculpture In this course students will be introduced to sculpture concepts and processes using the figure as the central subject matter. Students will learn to translate perceived form into sculptural form through modeling directly in clay alongside class assignments which will introduce a variety of materials including: clay, wood, metal, plaster, textiles and found objects. Importance is placed on the fundamental sculptural principles of proportion, volume, and gesture. We will look at a variety of artists who use the figure in their work and explore the relationship between the physical and psychological aspects of the human form and its presentation in contemporary art. Sculpture will be explored through a combination of lectures/presentations, group discussion, critique, hands-on studio work and short writing assignments.

Margaret Jacobs

Reviews and ratings for Margaret Jacobs at Middlebury College.Margaret Jacobs teaches Hot Processes!, Sculpture I, The Centered Self and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Margaret Jacobs good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

A fun, sculpting-based course that exposes you to a wide range of materials (wood, cardboard, plaster, etc.). There is significant freedom to develop an “alter ego,” persona, or embodied character through three core assignments, which also means you’ll need to invest substantial time clarifying what you want to explore and experiment with. Margaret is very supportive and kind, though this is definitely one of the more intensive J-term courses. Overall, it’s an enjoyable experience, and I would take another class with her. However, if you have little interest in the arts or in spending time reflecting on and refining your ideas, you may want to look elsewhere.
