A metal and glass non-objective sculpture. The lower half is shiny metal bent into a curve, like a wave, or a crescent moon. The metal is cut along the sides, making the texture like a large feather, or a serrated leaf. The top half has white pieces of glass laying horizontally in a bundle of six. The white glass is reminiscent of elephant tusks.
Posted on by fwmuseumofart

Saturday Studio: Mini Sculptures with Albert Paley

Miranda Dyson, Children’s Education Associate

  • A metal and glass non-objective sculpture. The lower half is shiny metal bent into a curve, like a wave, or a crescent moon. The metal is cut along the sides, making the texture like a large feather, or a serrated leaf. The top half has white pieces of glass laying horizontally in a bundle of six. The white glass is reminiscent of elephant tusks.
    Albert Paley, American, b. 1944. Arced Momentum, polychrome stainless steel and glass, 2012. Loan from the artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
  • A metal and glass non-objective sculpture. The center is a dark emerald-colored stone, cut roughly into a tall rectangle. This stone is wrapped in the center with bronze metal. From behind the stone on the right are folded pieces of bronze, similar to a fortune cookie. On the lower left sits organic shapes of metal, some laying on top of itself, some shaped like leaves.
    Albert Paley, American, b. 1944. The Moment of Desire Most Clearly Felt, polychrome steel and glass, 2019. Loan from the Artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
  • A metal and glass non-objective sculpture. The bottom is silver metal, constructed like multiple waves cresting to the left. On top rest multiple pointed rods of clear and red glass, with the red creating a stripe down the center of the rods.
    Albert Paley, American, b.1944. Horizontal Passage, monochrome steel and glass, 2012. Loan from Habitat Galleries. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
  • A metal and glass non-objective sculpture. The base is made of a bronze square sitting to the right, with folded metal folding back and forth on top of itself to the left. At the top of the sculpture is clear glass with flat, round, and crimped sections. In the middle of the sculpture are sections of bronze cut into hollow and solid circles.
    Albert Paley, American, b. 1944. Secluded Presence, polychrome steel and glass, 2018. Loan from Habitat Galleries. Image courtesy of FWMoA.
  • A metal and glass non-objective sculpture. On the bottom is a metal sheet curved like a page turning in a book. The vertical metal sitting on top looks similar to coral or the ripped edge of paper from a spiral notebook. To the left, a solid chunk of clear glass rests in between the two kinds of metal.
    Albert Paley, American, b. 1944. Aggregate, kovar metal and borosilicate glass, 2015. Loan from the artist. Image courtesy of FWMoA.

Fixed in Motion: Sculpture and Prints of Albert Paley, is now on display at FWMoA through September 27. This exhibition showcases two galleries of dynamic metal and glass sculptures, alongside colorful prints. Having created art for over 50 years, Paley has made sculptures—custom gates, public art, landscape art, and furniture—as well as works on paper, and displayed them around the world. He is most interested in how his art, “emotionally and intellectually engages the viewer.”

For this Saturday Studio project, we’ll create our own miniature, at home versions of metal and “glass” sculptures.

A group of art supplies. At the top from left to right are silver tinsel strands, aluminum foil, wound silver wire with small stars, and blue felt. The bottom row has cardboard, pipe cleaners, rhinestones, marbles, and plastic.

You will want materials that are reflective, flexible, or clear. Along with cardboard and hot glue, I gathered a variety of materials including tinfoil, wire, marbles, and clear plastic. Streamers, tulle, ribbon, and rhinestones are all great options for this project as well. As long as it is pliable and able to be adhered with hot glue, it can be used here!

I’m aiming for my sculpture to have a sense of movement with layers of different materials. Paley’s work is organic, with folds and curves in different materials that interact with each other.

A tan left hand, holding a folded up strip of tinfoil.
A tinfoil sheet taped by its ends onto cardboard. The curve in the tinfoil looks like a steep ramp at a skatepark.

The bases of many of his sculptures includes long sheets of metal that fold back and forth on top of themselves. For my sculpture, I started by taking a piece of tinfoil, folded for stability, and bent into a hill shape. I used tape to tac it onto my cardboard until I was ready to glue it in place.

A metallic sculpture with curves and bends all around. The organic shapes are like ocean waves, ramps, and spiral doodles. The materials are tinfoil and wire.
A metallic sculpture with curves and bends all around. The organic shapes are like ocean waves, ramps, and spiral doodles. The materials are tinfoil and wire.

I added an arch out of tinfoil behind the hill as well. The width of materials changes throughout Paley’s sculptures, so I added a thin silver wire around the pieces in the center. Sticking to the organic style, I wanted lots of curves and spirals.

A left tan hand holding a piece of clear plastic.
A tinfoil and silver wire sculpture with clear plastic in the center. The piece is outlined by silver wire weaving around all elements.

Thick, clear plastic was my glass substitute. Depending on which piece you’re looking at, the glass might be curved, in a solid block, or folded. I sinched my plastic in the middle and glued it to the cardboard underneath the hill. At this point I removed the little stars that were attached to the silver wire.

A detail shot of straight metal wire, bent in the center into a semi-circle.
A non-objective sculpture with silver and clear plastic elements. Three black and colored marbles rest on top of wire and tin-foil sections of the piece.

Next, I added three marbles for some variety in color, material, and shape. I bent the wire, making sure there was a good spot to hold the marbles before attaching them with hot glue.

A close up shot of silver tinsel winding back and forth on the back of a silver sculpture.

Finally, I picked silver party tinsel. Using the arch and cardboard as connection points, I wound the tinsel into the shapes I wanted. The goal was to make it look like the strands were falling into place on their own and frozen there.

A tan hand holding a reflective, organic, non-objective sculpture. The center is a wide, curved strip of silver, sitting like a hill. Coming towards the viewer and going away from the viewer is a large piece of clear plastic. Encircling the piece is a thin, undulating, silver wire. Resting on the wire and on the base are three dark marbles. The piece looks reminiscent to a silver roller coaster, or a mountain landscape.
A tan hand holding a reflective, organic, non-objective sculpture. The center is a wide, curved strip of silver, sitting like a hill. Coming towards the viewer and going away from the viewer is a large piece of clear plastic. Encircling the piece is a thin, undulating, silver wire. Resting on the wire and on the base are three dark marbles. The piece looks reminiscent to a silver roller coaster, or a mountain landscape.

What does your mini sculpture look like? What materials did you choose?

For more inspiration, visit Fixed in Motion: Sculpture and Prints of Albert Paley, now on view at FWMoA through September 27!

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