Gail Dodge (b. 1985, San Francisco) is a Providence-based artist whose work encompasses video, performance and the manipulation of traditional and nontraditional sculptural materials. Their art practice and pedagogy are rooted in exploratory approaches to developing and creating work.
Dodge received a BFA from the University of Arizona in 3D and Extended Media in 2013 and an MFA in Sculpture from RISD in 2015. They have held teaching positions at Wheaton College in Massachusetts and since 2017 have taught courses in RISD’s Sculpture and Graphic Design departments, as well as in its Continuing Education programs.
Dodge’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally in cities including Mexico City, Mexico; Tucson, AZ; Chicago, IL; New York, NY; Baltimore, MD; Austin, TX; and Michigan City, IN.
Courses
Fall 2024 Courses
SCULP 2141-01 - DIGITAL DESIGN & FABRICATION | ADDITIVE
“Any attempt to understand an artistic medium through the lens of technology alone is futile and counterproductive,imposing limits on the conceptual understanding of the work. Good art is always both deeply rooted in and at the same time transcends its medium.” -Christiane Paul
This course will explore digital design and fabrication within the context of contemporary art, design and architecture. Through a series of technical demonstrations and assignments, connections will be made between CAD/CAM software, fabrication technologies and the physical world. Additionally, the course will explore digital fabrication as it relates to traditional sculptural processes such as mold making + casting, metalworking and woodworking.
This course, although technical in nature, is not technical in spirit. Our goal is not the mastery of any one software application or fabrication technology, but instead an understanding of how to effectively leverage digital processes and tools in one’s studio.
The semester will be divided into a series of assignments, each exploring various approaches to digital design and fabrication, and will culminate in a final project blending digital fabrication with an existing project and/or research interest.
You will leave this course with the ability to model complex geometries, to collect and process 3D scan data, and to output using additive fabrication equipment. We will utilize the resources of RISD at large, but will focus on highly accessible, open source digital fabrication tools available within the Sculpture department.
Elective
Spring 2025 Courses
SCULP 2142-01 - DIGITAL AND DESIGN FABRICATION | SUBTRACTIVE
Any attempt to understand an artistic medium through the lens of technology alone is futile and counterproductive, imposing limits on the conceptual understanding of the work. Good art is always both deeply rooted in and at the same time transcends its medium. - Christiane Paul
This course will explore digital design and fabrication within the context of contemporary art, design and architecture. Through a series of technical demonstrations and assignments, connections will be made between CAD/CAM software, fabrication technologies and the physical world. Additionally, the course will explore digital fabrication as it relates to traditional sculptural processes such as mold making + casting, metalworking, and woodworking.
This course, although technical in nature, is not technical in spirit. Our goal is not the mastery of any one software application or fabrication technology, but instead an understanding of how to effectively leverage digital processes and tools in one’s studio.
The semester will be divided into a series of assignments, each exploring various approaches to digital design and fabrication, and will culminate in a final project blending digital fabrication with an existing project and/or research interest.
You will leave this course with the ability to digitally model complex geometries in two and three dimensions, generate toolpaths in two and three dimensions, and output to a CNC Plotter, CNC Plasma Cutter, and CNC Router.
