The Herron School's furniture design curriculum unique in Midwest
Students at the Herron School's Furniture Design Program are not only taught the foundations of woodworking, but also are encouraged to demonstrate creativity through their projects.
Cory Robinson teaches students enrolled in the Herron School of Art and Design's furniture design program at IUPUI.
"Our curriculum gives the students a well-rounded ability to execute their designs, and that skill set has a lot of application in the world," said Cory Robinson, assistant professor of furniture design at the Herron School of Art and Design at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Students have the use of a well-equipped and maintained woodworking shop, and each class has about 12 to 15 students, which allows them to learn from both their instructor and their peers. Introductory courses provide instruction on art furniture history and the fundamentals of the craft.
In the intermediate and advanced courses, students are challenged to continue to develop their technical skills and begin to forge a personal design aesthetic. Career goals and strategies are explored and developed, and classes are augmented by visiting artists, shows and other related professional activities. Students who complete the program are eligible to proceed to graduate school or enter the art world.
Robinson says woodworking teaches students critical thinking skills because they have to envision problems. He says he helps students anticipate problems because it can take years of experience to predict how one step could impact what a maker will do five steps later.
Upper-level students are given the freedom to choose their own design project, whether it's a functional or more sculptural piece. Starting in 2004, upper-level students began creating benches that are now scattered among the halls of the Herron School. Before a bench was created, each student went through a jury process -- composed often of faculty administration or donors of the particular bench. Each bench was created by one person during one semester; some maintain their natural look, while others are painted and have finishes added to them.
"We encourage the students to pursue their interest in what function their furniture takes on," Robinson said. "We're not teaching historic replication of furniture; we are allowing them to become artists with their own vocabulary. Sometimes it looks more like sculpture, sometimes it is more functional and sometimes it's more for personal satisfaction."
