3D Sculpture Students and Faculty Create One Of A Kind Art Display From BYU Geology Department
In Winter semester 2022, BYU Department of Art professor Collin Bradford was approached by the Department of Geological Sciences about commissioning a new piece of art to be displayed in the Carl F. Eyring Science Center. Bradford had already been working independently on an idea that linked the James Webb Space Telescope to the local beryllium mine at Spor Mountain in Delta, Utah. This project was the perfect opportunity to utilize his interest in land and land use through art.
Bradford worked with students in his Digital 3D Sculpture class across multiple semesters to create a unique artwork designed specifically for the space, rather than simply fill the existing display case. Their work resulted in a relief-style sculpture, consisting of a large three-dimensional topographic map of Spor Mountain. This map was created from 18 panels of wood blocks ranging from one to seven layers in thickness. Dotting the mounted sculpture are eight hexagonal inserts coated in a gold sheen that mimics the color of the Webb telescope. Each hexagon is a shelf that displays objects and images that represent various stages of the geologic formation and the mining of beryllium.
By the time the process was completed, three sections of Bradford’s 3D Sculpture class had contributed in major ways to the project. Students had the opportunity to be mentored by Bradford for a prolonged period of time, something they wouldn’t typically get to do in a normal semester-long class. One student who worked with Bradford, Brenna Cooper, said, “I think it’s extremely valuable for an artist to work with other disciplines. A critical part of art is asking questions and exchanging ideas.”
See the permanent display on the second floor of the Eyring Science Center’s main foyer and read the full article by James Talbot here.
