Sculpture Shops

Sculpture at CCA is all about experimenting in three dimensions. Our expansive studios offer everything from bronze casting to 3D printing so that you can make objects, installations, and even performances driven by social responsibility.

Media Gallery

360° view of Sculpture Bench Room | California College of the Arts

Two students talk in front of a box-like sculpture on a pedestal.

Sparks fly as Laurus Myth, in protective welding gear, fuses parts of a metal frame together.

A close-up view of a student working on a flower-like sculpture made of wire, beads, and plastic.

About BFA Sculpture

Artisanal workshop meets high-tech lab

⛲️ About BFA Sculpture

You’ll learn to make sculpture at all scales, in every material imaginable. Research will be a big part of your practice, as you consider how space, site, and context relate to meaning. You might gather materials offsite And through critiques and artist statements, you’ll be challenged to think critically about sustainability and social impact.

Off-site explorations

Since sculpture engages with place, our classes sometimes take you outside (literally) to gather materials or exhibit work. Spring trips to the Albany Bulb and Berkeley Botanical Garden were sites for a pop-up exhibition and a material haul, respectively. Students have also shown work in the Bay Area, such as at Oakland's Mac Fine Arts Gallery.

🛠️ Artisanal workshop meets high-tech lab

Our facilities are made for traditional crafting in wood and metal but also for explorations with rapid prototyping machinery and kinetic components. Sculpture student PJ Parker’s wearable creature mask, for example, was formed with polyfil and resin-cast eyeballs. Other students have made ephemeral sculptures out of snow and weird forms on the Potterbot 3D printer.

Metal Fabrication and Welding Shop

The shop is equipped with oxy/acetylene, MIG, and TIG-welding equipment, as well as a spot welder and plasma torch, vertical and horizontal band saws, a chop saw, drill press, and belt sander. You’ll have access to TIG-welding equipment, drill presses, lathes, and more.

Maker’s Library

The Maker’s Library is a hub for sculptural-making practices and creative discussion on projects and techniques. It acts primarily as a tool and material resource center, providing most hand tools, power tools, electrical, and other supplies to aid in sculpture making.