ELecture, Crafting the Ocean

The World’s Oceans are an endless source of inspiration for artists and can provide just as much opportunity for educators. Children and adults alike are always fascinated with the incredible array of sealife. There are shapes and colors found under the sea that cannot be seen anywhere else in nature. The underwater theme is very often used as a basis for art projects for elementary children, but there are also some very interesting projects that can be adapted for middle and high school students. Another wonderful thing about using the ocean as a resource in the art room is the opportunity for interdisciplinary learning. Beyond crafting unique and beautiful artwork, it is easy to incorporate science and even math concepts.

The actual coral reef.

A Coral Reef is created over thousands of years, a massive collaboration of plants and animals. This can be used as a metaphor for your students to create a large scale work of art that will be a collaboration of the entire class, potentially even the entire school. The crocheted coral reef is a project that has numerous contributors, and Dale Chihuly is an artist who works with a large team to create pieces that are inspired by natural aquatic forms. Both of these can be used as examples, in different ways, to get your students interested and involved in the creation of a transformative art installation.
















The Crocheted Coral Reef.

The Institute For Figuring is an organization dedicated to the poetic and aesthetic dimensions of science, mathematics and the technical arts. The
IFF reef has been inspired by the principles of hyperbolic crochet originally developed by mathematician Dr. Daina Taimina. In 1997 Dr. Taimina discovered how to make models of the geometry known as hyperbolic space using the art of crochet. Until that time most mathematicians had believed it was impossible to construct physical models of hyperbolic forms, yet nature had been doing just that for hundreds of millions of years. It turns out that many marine organisms embody hyperbolic geometry, among them kelps, corals, and sponges. The IFF reef not only looks like an actual coral reef, it draws on the same
underlying geometry that we find in the
oceanic realm. There is a very good reason why marine organisms take on hyperbolic forms: this geometry realizes surfaces with maximal area in a limited volume thus providing enhanced opportunity for filter feeding by sessile (or stationary) creatures.
The medium of crochet is uniquely suited to the coral reef project. However, learning a new skill like crocheting can be difficult and frustrating to many students. Once the students have mastered the basics, not only will they feel a sense of pride in learning a skill, they will be able to use their new skills in creative and potentially very interesting ways. There are also infinite variations and possibilities for exploration of color, texture, form, and space.
Since the original conception of the crocheted coral reef, multiple reefs have been started and are growing across the country and across the globe. Anyone is welcome to crochet pieces to contribute to the project. If keeping your coral reef is not a possibility, or if you only have a small group of students, you may want to consider asking the students to donate their work to be a part of a larger, regional coral reef project.

Explore the IFF Gallery for more information and images of the coral reef and hyperbolic crochet.

Questions for Discussion:
Can you think of other instances where art and science come together?
Can math be beautiful? Can science be beautiful?
What other materials could you incorporate to take the idea of building a coral reef even further?
Can you think of other artists or art projects that promote environmentalism?

Classroom Activity:
A crocheted coral reef could be a class-wide, and potentially school-wide collaborative activity. The more and the greater the variety of forms, the more interesting the project will become. The greatest challenge for teaching this activity is getting the students started crocheting. Teachers should utilize other teachers or volunteers who are experienced in crochet, if possible. Once some of the students start to catch on, they will help to teach other.

Here's some basics to get you started teaching crochet techniques.
There are also many books available with step by step illustrations that may be useful for teaching beginners.

Objectives:
1. Students will learn basic techniques of crochet.
2. Students will relate a math concept to art.
3. Students will also relate a math concept to nature.
4. Students will use simple crochet technique to develop an original piece inspired by natural forms.
5. Students will collaboratively create a coral reef using all of their pieces.



















Dale Chihuly, Seaforms in Glass.

Dale Chihuly is an artist who works primarily with blown glass. He has produced a large variety of work, much of it on a very large scale. His work is comprised of many pieces assembled together to create beautiful meandering organic sculptures that literally transform the space. In 1976, Chihuly was in a car accident that left him without sight in his left eye. Since then, he has not been able to physically create the work himself. Instead he acts as a conductor of sorts, working with a team of artists and students to realize his visions. Chihuly’s glass sculptures are collaborations, just like the crocheted coral reef. You could discuss with your class the value of collaboration for creating ambitious works of art. You could also relate this concept to the actual coral reef. The reef is not something that came about in one day, in fact it is a massive collaboration of plant live and animal life that has taken thousands of years to become what it is today.
One of Chihuly’s series in particular he calls “Seaforms.” The way that the glass is blown forms beautiful undulating shapes that do not depict but instead are reminiscent of water and marine life. While they are not directly representational, much like the crocheted seaforms, they are clearly inspired by the ocean, in particular the coral reef.


Explore the website of Dale Chihuly for more examples of blown glass work.

Questions for Discussion:
Why do you think so many artists use the ocean for inspiration?
How closely does an object have to resemble something to still be recognizable?

Classroom Activity:
Have students do research about sea organisms, and gather images. Instead of using glass, have students create their own sea-form inspired sculpture using clay or papier-mache. Finished pieces could be displayed in conjuction with the crocheted coral reef work, to create the overall effect of an underwater coral reef scene.

Objectives:
1. Students will create a sculpture inspired by Chihuly’s sea-forms.
2. Students will complete research on sea organisms of their choice.
3. Students will make a collaborative work of art.