Doug Borkman is a sculptor/designer and an expert in metallurgy. In addition to running the Foundry and teaching wood and metal shop practice, retooling, casting and welding at RISD, he has taught at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, the Apprenticeshop in Maine, the Nantucket Historical Society, Herreshoff Marine Museum in Bristol, RI and the Bridge in Shanghai, China. He has worked on many sculpture and public art projects for the Boston Red Sox, the Bridge in Shanghai, the Dunes Club and various private collections. He has also been a consultant for a number of large-scale projects, including a public sculpture for artist Martin Puryear and the Getty Museum. Doug is an avid sailor and is continually inspired by history and sailing.
Courses
Fall 2024 Courses
SCULP 2173-01 - RETOOLING THE STUDIO TOOL KIT
LevelUndergraduate
UnitSculpture
Subject Sculpture
Period Fall 2024
Credits 3
FormatStudio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
SCULP 2173-01
RETOOLING THE STUDIO TOOL KIT
LevelUndergraduate
UnitSculpture
Subject Sculpture
PeriodFall 2024
Credits3
FormatStudio
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2024-09-04 to 2024-12-11
Times: M | 1:10 PM - 6:10 PMInstructor(s): Douglas BorkmanLocation(s): Metcalf Building, Room 114Enrolled / Capacity: 12Status: Closed
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This course is structured according the notion that artists can use what is on hand to research and craft simple solutions to the complex physical, mechanical, and technical problems that must be routinely addressed in their making practices. This material and process based, hands-on, research studio will be structured in response to the issues that the advanced fine arts student is grappling with on a regular basis. Many of the issues that arise in the process of making provide the opportunity to transcend perceived material-based boundaries and thinking. Some of the questions this course attends to include: How do you defy gravity? How do you generate the hidden components required to physicalize the thing we can see in our mind's eye? How is the magic we need to create our work scalable to the resources we have readily available? Example working processes include: mig welding, tig welding, casting for prototyping, woodworking, and mold making.
Junior class level and above and instructor permission is required to register for this course, please contact the instructor directly.
Elective
Spring 2025 Courses
SCULP 2173-01 - RETOOLING THE STUDIO TOOL KIT
LevelUndergraduate
UnitSculpture
Subject Sculpture
Period Spring 2025
Credits 3
FormatStudio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
SCULP 2173-01
RETOOLING THE STUDIO TOOL KIT
LevelUndergraduate
UnitSculpture
Subject Sculpture
PeriodSpring 2025
Credits3
FormatStudio
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2025-02-13 to 2025-05-23
Times: M | 1:10 PM - 6:10 PMInstructor(s): Douglas BorkmanLocation(s): Metcalf Building, Room 114Enrolled / Capacity: 12Status: Closed
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This course is structured according the notion that artists can use what is on hand to research and craft simple solutions to the complex physical, mechanical, and technical problems that must be routinely addressed in their making practices. This material and process based, hands-on, research studio will be structured in response to the issues that the advanced fine arts student is grappling with on a regular basis. Many of the issues that arise in the process of making provide the opportunity to transcend perceived material-based boundaries and thinking. Some of the questions this course attends to include: How do you defy gravity? How do you generate the hidden components required to physicalize the thing we can see in our mind's eye? How is the magic we need to create our work scalable to the resources we have readily available? Example working processes include: mig welding, tig welding, casting for prototyping, woodworking, and mold making.
Junior class level and above and instructor permission is required to register for this course, please contact the instructor directly.
