I wanted to create a piece based off my blue set of polyhedral dice and the knitted pouch that they are in. The dice are significant to my culture as someone who plays a lot of Dungeons and Dragons as they are the pieces that the core of the game is built around. This specific set of dice is also important to me because it is the first set I ever owned. The pouch is significant to me because it was hand made for me by my girlfriend, who I frequently play the game with. I chose to reference the various numbered sides of each of the dice in my piece. Each layer of the tower is a polygon with a number of sides from top to bottom: 20, 12, 10, 8, 6 ,4. They are also stitched together with red yarn, the same kind that my pouch is made of. It also spins which lends to the illusion of rolling dice.
ABSTRACT OBJECT
1. Describe your piece objectively, including the size, materials, and form. Be as accurate and specific as you can
My piece is a 9.5×9.5×8 in. wooden tower. It has a wooden dowel in the middle. Stacked on the dowel are discs made of plywood that have points tied to them with red yarn. each disc has a different amount of sides and points. From top to bottom the amount of sides go, 20, 12, 10, 8, 6, and 4. There is about an inch of metal tubing between each layer to separate them. the dowel is capped off on both end by a piece of plywood that is screwed on. The discs are also free enough that they are able to spin.
2. (Re-visit your proposal, in which you should already have the answer to this question.)
How is your piece an artifact of your cultural identity? Discuss your inspiration for the piece: what objects
did you work from and how do they inform your cultural identity? Which formal qualities of your object(s) did
you combine to create an abstract sculptural artifact? (your images from your archive pages should
illustrate these points*).
3. Explain how you chose the materials to make your sculpture, and what information they give the viewer
about your culture.
I chose to use the plywood and dowels because they would be easy to manipulate in the way that I wanted. I found a dowel and metal tube that would fit around it. Then I found red yarn that was reminiscent of the yarn that the pouch was made out of.
4. Describe the processes, skills, techniques, tools, and name the joints/connections you used to make your
project.
I was able to use a variety of saws. I used Coping, jewelers, scroll, and band saws to cut my plywood. I was also able to use several joining methods. I used a dowel joint, I tied with linear materials, and I was able to use a screw and screwdriver.
