ALCHEMY

A Balancing Act

For an advanced studio course, Chak Ying Wong (BArch Architecture 2022) was tasked with creating a large-scale architectural study. The challenge? How to construct an innovative freestanding structure with just a limited supply of materials. Wong turned to wood. “I found scrap wood in CCA’s back lot,” she says. “It is not only 100% recycled material, but also an exciting process to give it a new meaning by thinking resourcefully.” Wong then carefully manipulated each piece, gluing them together, creating a sturdy yet lightweight, balanced structure.

Committed To Craft

With over a decade of experience building and restoring traditional wooden boats, Bryce LeFort (MFA Fine Arts 2022) has carried a technique known as lamination into the delicate work it takes to bend and curve wood into the desired shape. “The individual free-standing pieces in The Way I Am were made from a single piece of Douglas fir that was cut to bend and laminated in the correct sequence to create a seamless form,” says LeFort. He adds, “All of my work is the manifestation of discovered potential for techniques and materials through a dedication to craftsmanship.”

Illuminating The Past

California’s coast redwood trees, which are deeply entwined in the state’s history of colonization and industrialization, offer hope for Anke Larsen-Yskamp (BFA Individualized Studies 2022). The artist sourced fiber from already felled trees or coast redwood branches to create paper for a sculptural lantern. “I made a lot of paper of different hues from the branches by steaming, peeling, cooking, and cleaning the bark,” says Larsen-Yskamp. “The piece is about repair and regeneration.”