Although there is a strong sculptural emphasis in the major, you'll explore both 2D and 3D approaches, and many fiber students create work that involves installations, performance, video, and other cross-disciplinary approaches.
Coursework introduces you to conventional and unconventional processes, including dyeing, sewing, screenprinting, weaving, the manipulation of three-dimensional forms, pliable construction, collage, and sculptural surfaces.
We are concerned not only with the production and understanding of fiber work itself but with its interaction and connection to other media and materials. Our Fiber faculty also presents students with critical writings not only concerning fiber specifically but also on contemporary issues in the world of art.
Facilities in the Fiber Arts Center include studios, a large dyeing facility, and seminar rooms. Equipment includes industrial and household sewing machines, sergers, computerized embroidery machines, floor looms, tc2 Jacquard loom, digital textile printers, knitting and pleating machines, a steam cabinet, open-burner stove, a darkroom for photoscreen work, and carding machines for felting. Majors also have access to a Smart Textiles Lab as well as 3D fabrication lab equipped with laser cutters and 3D printing.
The experimental fashion concentration is intended for fiber majors with a strong interest in fashion as a cultural phenomenon and expressive medium.
