Mulvane Art Museum
Curriculum Guide
Biography of the artist: Patrick Dougherty
Known internationally for his inspired tree sapling sculptures, Patrick Dougherty
remains unassuming and unconventional in his approach to art. His larger-than life creations have charmed audiences on three continents, and have fascinated
visitors for over 25 years. Lasting only as long as the saplings themselves, his
intrinsically lyrical works have a life of their own--intentionally temporary, but
leaving a permanent impression.
Dougherty was born in Oklahoma, nurtured in North Carolina, and educated in
Iowa, but degrees in English and health administration were mere guideposts on
his way back to Chapel Hill, his love of art, and his life’s work. His versatility and
varied background included carpentry, and Dougherty segued seamlessly into
sculpture. After additional art study at the University of North Carolina,
Dougherty began his transformational works, evolving from more traditional
indoor sculpture to the sometimes strange but always evocative installations for
which he is known today. At age 64, Dougherty remains prolific. He has to be. His
work doesn’t last forever, and that’s exactly the way he wants it.
Dream Weaver: The Fantastic Fabrications of Patrick Dougherty
It’s not often that you hear an artist speak of his work, a wood chopper, and a
compost heap, all in the same sentence. But environmental sculptor Patrick
Dougherty knows at the outset that his work will ultimately be consigned to the
earth from which it came. That’s just fine with Dougherty, whose short-lived
sculptures crafted from tree saplings form symbiotic relationships with the
natural or man-made environments selected for his works. Typically, his
constructions last only two to three years. The provocatively titled
“MaplyBodyWrap,” for example, was exhibited in the 1982 North Carolina
Biennial Artists’ Exhibition. It now exists, if at all, only in photographs. The
sculpture itself has long-since bitten the dust. But many recent works still remain.
From lavish landscapes to modest museums over 200 works have, at one time or
another, graced cities in Scotland, Ireland, Denmark, and France, and many other
sites in the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Not to be outdone, Kansas has hosted its own array of Dougherty exhibitions,
including the Wichita Center for the Arts and the Salina Art Center, both in 1997,
as well as the Beach Museum in 2002. More recently, “The Bedazzler” was
constructed in May 2009 at the University of Kansas Spencer Museum of Art.
Already somewhat brittle, it can still attract an audience; within a year, it will be
on its last limbs. But a yet to be titled Dougherty work will be constructed in
November 2009, during a three-week artist residency at the Mulvane Art
Museum on the campus of Washburn University in Topeka.
In a prelude to the November event, Dougherty visited the Mulvane in May of
2009 to evaluate the site on the front lawn of the museum. That assessment
process is essential to the work. The atmosphere, indigenous saplings, and artist’s
interpretation will ultimately determine the sculpture’s design, as well as its
impact upon the site. It seems a lot of effort for a temporary sculpture, but
Dougherty’s work is characteristic of site-specific installations that may be
destroyed, or are expected to deteriorate and disintegrate within a relatively
short period of time. It is, in one sense, disposable art. On the one hand, effective.
On the other, replaceable when it has outlived its usefulness.
That may be the attraction--an “enjoy it while it lasts” appeal that lures hundreds
of visitors, not just to see the works but to explore them, entering the sculptures
as if stepping into a fairy tale. Towering and expansive, with mysterious nooks and
crannies, Dougherty’s work echoes the geometric shapes and symbols that
children use when first learning to draw, and is reminiscent of children’s book
illustrations. But every installation is both simple and complex, and actual
construction is no simple matter. It takes truckloads of saplings, hundreds of
volunteers, and weeks of organized effort to build a structure that will remain
standing for its life span, while still earning its all-natural label. Non-traditional
twigs combine with time-honored weaving techniques for safety and stability, as
well as for dramatic visual effect.
Intriguing and engaging, such large scale installations invite public participation in
the total art experience, including actual creation of the artwork itself. These
outdoor venues allow the average individual to witness first-hand the seemingly
mysterious process by which an idea is translated into a tangible work of art. That
dialogue may demystify both the artist and the art, but also may foster feelings of
ownership within those involved. Critics of audience immersion argue that viewer
objectivity requires both physical and psychological distance. Visitors may “like” a
sculpture if they have helped to build it.
But they may also like it if they didn’t build it, and to think otherwise is to
underestimate the powerful symbolic appeal that these sculptures possess. Like
our favorite childhood stories they delight, excite, and satisfy an irresistible urge
for adventure and exploration. And if that sounds familiar, it’s not your
imagination. It is déjà vu, all over again.
Call of the Wild Museum of Glass, Tacoma, WA, 2002. 18 ft. high. Photo: Duncan Price
Owache Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL, 1999. 16 ft. high. Photo: Larry Gregory
Doin’ the Locomotion Grounds for Sculpture
Hamilton, NJ, 2004. 23 ft. high. Photo: Ricardo Barros
Childhood Dreams Desert Botanic Gardens
Phoenix, AZ, 2007. 12 ft. high. Photo: Adam Rodriguez
Nine Lives Franklin Park Conservatory, Columbus, OH, 2006. Photo: Greg Sailor
Fantastic Fabrications: Woven Branch Sculpture
Subject: Visual Arts
Grades: 1-5
Standards:
1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
5 Reflecting Upon and Assessing the Characteristics and Merits of Art
Time Required: One 60-minute session
Referenced Artworks:
Call of the Wild Tacoma, WA, 2002. Maple and willow saplings, 18 ft. high. Photo: Duncan Price
Childhood Dreams Phoenix, AZ, 2007. Willow saplings and creosote, 12 ft. high. Photo:
Adam Rodriguez
Doin’ the Locomotion Hamilton, NJ, 2004. Red maple, privet, ash, 23 ft. high. Photo:
Ricardo Barros
Nine Lives Columbus, OH, 2006. Photo: Greg Sailor
Owache Dekalb, IL, 1999. Mixed hardwood saplings, 16 ft. high. Photo: Larry Gregory
Lesson Overview: Artists often use pencils, paint, and clay to create art, but art can be made
with almost anything. Sculptures, for example, are traditionally made from stone or clay. But
contemporary sculptures can be made of objects or materials found indoors, or naturally found
outdoors. In this lesson students will use nontraditional materials to weave a sculpture. They
will also identify and describe contemporary sculpture.
Learning Objectives: Students will learn:
1. The meaning of contemporary sculpture
2. To design a sculpture using nontraditional materials
3. About Patrick Dougherty’s sculptures
Discussion Process:
1. Students view and discuss traditional sculpture: What is a sculpture? How is a
sculpture created? What should a sculpture look like?
2. Teacher uses discussion to introduce vocabulary necessary to understand
sculpture.
3. Students view images of Patrick Dougherty’s sculptures.
4. Students discuss how Dougherty’s contemporary sculptures are similar to, or
different from, traditional sculptures.
Woven Branch Sculpture
Materials : Medium-sized tree branches, with at least three smaller branches
Colored yarn, about two yards each
Natural materials:
long grasses, straw
leaves
feathers
corn husks
leather strips
Florist foam
Activity Procedure:
1. Starting at bottom of small branch, loop yarn around continuously outward
towards end of branch.
2. Weave additional yarn and other natural materials through first loops, in a
random or planned design.
3. Branch may be hung, placed in florist foam, or displayed on shelf as student
desires.
Guided Questions/Reflections:
1. Which materials did you use?
2. Why did you choose those materials?
3. What is the title of your sculpture?
Fantastic Fabrications: Paper Tube Installation
Subject: Visual Arts
Grades: 6-8
Standards:
1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
2 Reflecting Upon and Assessing the Characteristics and Merits of Art
Referenced Artworks:
Call of the Wild Tacoma, WA, 2002. Maple and willow saplings, 18 ft. high. Photo: Duncan Price
Childhood Dreams Phoenix, AZ, 2007. Willow saplings and creosote, 12 ft. high. Photo:
Adam Rodriguez
Doin’ the Locomotion Hamilton, NJ, 2004. Red maple, privet, ash, 23 ft. high. Photo:
Ricardo Barros
Nine Lives Columbus, OH, 2006. Photo: Greg Sailor
Owache Dekalb, IL, 1999. Mixed hardwood saplings, 16 ft. high. Photo: Larry Gregory
Lesson Overview: Traditional artists often use stone or clay to create sculptures, but sculptures
can be made from almost anything. Installations are contemporary sculptures made from
objects or materials commonly found indoors, or naturally found outdoors. In this lesson
students will use nontraditional materials to design an installation. They will also identify and
discuss contemporary sculpture.
Learning Objectives: Students will learn:
1. The meaning of contemporary sculpture
2. To design an installation using nontraditional materials
3. About Patrick Dougherty’s installations
Discussion Process:
1. Students view and discuss traditional sculpture: What is a sculpture? How is a
sculpture created? What should a sculpture look like?
2. Teacher uses discussion to introduce vocabulary necessary to understand
sculpture.
3. Students view images of Patrick Dougherty’s installations.
4. Students discuss how Dougherty’s contemporary installations are similar to, or
different from, traditional sculptures.
Paper Tube Installation
Materials: Paper tubes (toilet paper, paper towel, and/or wrapping paper tubes)
Cardboard base (such as large broken down moving box)
Scissors
White glue
Tempera paint
Paintbrush
Water
Rags
Newspaper (to cover work surface)
Activity Procedure:
1. Choose a space for your installation.
2. Cut paper tubes into a variety of shapes and sizes.
3. Glue paper tubes to each other, and to cardboard base, in a random or
planned design.
4. Allow to dry.
Extended Activities:
Attach natural materials:
long grasses, straw
leaves
feathers
corn husks
leather strips
Guided Questions/Reflections:
What is the title of your installation?
How did the space influence your installation design?
Did you paint your installation? Why? Why not?
What color did you use? Why?
Was the project more difficult than you imagined?
Fantastic Fabrications: Site-Specific Installations
Subject: Visual Arts
Grades: 9-12
Standards:
1 Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
2 Using Knowledge of the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design
5 Reflecting Upon and Assessing the Characteristics and Merits of Art
Referenced Artworks:
Call of the Wild Tacoma, WA, 2002. Maple and willow saplings, 18 ft. high. Photo: Duncan Price
Childhood Dreams Phoenix, AZ, 2007. Willow saplings and creosote, 12 ft. high. Photo:
Adam Rodriguez
Doin’ the Locomotion Hamilton, NJ, 2004. Red maple, privet, ash, 23 ft. high. Photo:
Ricardo Barros
Nine Lives Columbus, OH, 2006. Photo: Greg Sailor
Owache Dekalb, IL, 1999. Mixed hardwood saplings, 16 ft. high. Photo: Larry Gregory
Lesson Overview: Traditional sculptures are generally created in a studio. Upon completion,
they may be exhibited in galleries or museums. Installations are contemporary, site-specific
sculptures that are designed for a particular space. Installation artists may use non-traditional
materials to create a suitable structure for the chosen site. In this lesson, students will select
and evaluate a site, and use nontraditional materials to design an installation for that site.
Learning Objectives:
Students will learn:
1. The meaning of contemporary sculpture.
2. To design a site-specific installation, using nontraditional materials.
3. About Patrick Dougherty’s installations.
Discussion Process:
1. Students view and discuss traditional and contemporary sculpture: Define
traditional. Define contemporary. How are traditional and contemporary
sculptures similar? How are they different? What materials are used?
2. Teacher introduces vocabulary necessary to understand sculpture.
3. Students view images of Patrick Dougherty’s installations.
4. Students discuss how Dougherty’s contemporary installations are similar to,
or different from, traditional sculptures.
Site-Specific Installations
Materials:
Newspaper
Masking tape
Activity Procedure:
1. Divide class into small groups for each installation.
2. Choose and evaluate installation spaces.
3. Roll or crush newspaper into forms; wrap and secure each form with masking
tape.
4. Attach shapes with masking tape to design your installation.
5. Title your installation.
Extended Activities: Add color using tempera paints.
Guided Questions/Reflections:
Did you make a drawing or model first? Does it matter?
How did you collaborate? Was there a leader? Were there teams?
How did the space influence your design?
Does your installation have “meaning”? Is it based on an idea?
How did the materials challenge you? How did you adapt your materials?
What, if anything, would you change? Why?
Do you “like” your installation? Why? Why not?
VOCABULARY
art gallery: an enclosed space or establishment where artwork is displayed and
offered for sale
contemporary art: art that exists during the current period; happening now
design: to make an original plan, project, pattern, or work of art; to form a unit
by arranging details in a unique way
exhibit: to display or show to the public; a presentation of objects
fabrication: an object made, built, or constructed of parts; something made up
form: having three dimensions--length, height, and width--or appearing to have
three dimensions; to arrange or organize
installation art: the design and arrangement of objects or materials within a 3dimensional space
materials: elements or substance of a thing that is made
museum: a facility to collect, preserve, and exhibit art works or objects of
significance that are typically not for sale
site: a space or location for a particular purpose
site-specific: designed and constructed for a particular site, so that the space is
part of the design
space: the empty area surrounding an object, or within an object, or between
objects
traditional: long established, customary, generally observed, commonly believed
weave: to twist or interlace yarns, twigs, etc., in order to form or construct
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Patrick Dougherty
Biles, Jan. “Sculpture is a Swirl of Saplings.” CJonline.com, June 13, 2009.
http://cjonline.com/news/2009-06-12/sculpture_is_a_swirl_of_saplings
Dougherty, Patrick T. “CV.” Patrick Dougherty, 2008. www.stickwork.net
“Installation by Patrick Dougherty in the Joseph L. Alioto Performing Arts Piazza.” San Francisco
Arts Commission, March 2, 2009. www.sfartscommssion.org/pubartcollection
“International Sculptor Patrick Dougherty Creates Installation at Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, SC.”
Carolina Arts, March 2007.
King, Anna and Tina Rose. “Dougherty in Conversation.” Craftscotland. 2007.
www.craftscotland.org/patrickdoughertyinterview.html
Mulvane Art Museum. “Patrick Dougherty’s Site-specific Sculpture Project at the Mulvane Art
Museum.” 2009.
Nickmatul, Huang. “Strange Forces and Hidden Places.” Singapore Magazine, pp. 32-35. www.
stickwork.net
“Patrick Dougherty: Twisted Logic.” Grounds for Sculpture, 2005. www.grounds
forsculpture.org/p_dougherty.html
Reilly, Jeanne. New Installation in Process at Morris Arboretum. Ticket, April 8-9, 2009, pp. 5,
13.
Sokolitz, Roberta. “Linear Energy: An Interview with Patrick Dougherty.” Sculpture, March 2000,
pp. 19-25.
Summers, Pat. “Itinerant Artist: Patrick Dougherty.” Sculpture, July-August 2005, pp. 53-57.
General Art
“Conceptual Art.” Wikipedia. 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_art
“Creating with Found Objects.” Scholastic Art, April-May 1996, pp. 14-15.
De Oliveira, Nicolas, et.al. Installation Art. London: Thames and Hudson, 1994.
Edwards, Betty. The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. New York: Penguin Putnam,
1999.
Godfrey, Tony. Conceptual Art. London: Phaidon Press Limited, 1998.
“Installation Art.” Wikipedia. 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Installation_art
Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego. Blurring the Boundaries: Installation Art 1969-1996.
New York: Distributed Art Publishers, 1997.
Poli, Francesco. Postmodern Art 1945-Now. New York: HarperCollins, 2008.
Stewart, Mary. Launching the Imagination: A Comprehensive Guide to Basic Design. New York:
McGraw Hill, 2008.
“Visual Messages.” Scholastic Art, April-May 1996, pp. 2-3.
Lesson Plans
Andrew, David. “The Tower of Paper.” SchoolArts, August-September 2008.
J. Paul Getty Museum Education Department. “A Guide to Building a Visual Arts Lesson.” J. Paul
Getty Trust. 2005. www.getty.edu/education/for_teachers/building_lessons/
Kohl, MaryAnn F. and Cindy Gainer. Good Earth Art: Environmental Art for Kids. Bellingham,
WA: Bright Wing Publishing, 1991.
MCASD Office of Education.”Transforming Space: Creating Installation Art.” Museum of
Contemporary Art, SanDiego and Collaborative Arts Resources for Education. 2005.
www.carearts.org/lessons/transforming_space.html