Journey art students sculpt mugs with ‘backwards design’

MADISON – The Sculpting Art class at Journey Middle School explored concepts of function and convention in art. Based on an article in an art magazine, students sculpted an art piece using ‘backwards design.’

“I like to get my students thinking deeply about their artwork, especially when we’re working on ceramic pottery,” art teacher Judy Bagwell said. “We talk about form, which is the shape and visual look of a piece, and function, which is its purpose.”

“We also discuss conventions in art — those traditional ways of creating forms — and how they can guide or inspire us,” Bagwell said.

To demonstrate ‘backwards design,’ Bagwell used a ceramic mug. “Typically, when designing a mug, most people focus on creating the vessel first, treating the handle as an afterthought. I had my students take a different approach by starting with the handle and then designing a vessel that complements it,” she said.

To start, the class read an article from “Scholastic Art” magazine. For an interactive process, students placed the magazine inside clear plastic and annotated directly on the article using Expo markers.

Bagwell intentionally used annotation strategy to help students understand unfamiliar vocabulary terms, thus clarifying the lesson and investing students in the outcome, MCS Public Relations Manager John Peck said.

To guide their annotations, Bagwell provided a set of simple symbols for quick, effective note-taking. “For example, a question mark indicated unfamiliar words, an ‘x’ marked something they didn’t understand, and an exclamation mark highlighted something new or exciting,” she said.

Using “Scholastic Art” articles and annotation strategies helps students simplify complex art concepts into manageable pieces. Simultaneously, the practice reinforces critical reading skills that students need to succeed across all classes.

After annotating the article, students engaged in a thoughtful discussion about how art balances utility with traditional design. Bagwell provided real mugs and invited students to assess size, weight and comfort.

Students decided between a traditional mug or breaking the rules to focus more on design than function. “Even if they’re prioritizing design, the mug still needs to hold liquid — it’s a mug, after all,” Bagwell said.

The mug project demonstrated the relationship between creativity and practicality. “By thinking through these choices, they created something both meaningful and functional, while also pushing their artistic boundaries,” Bagwell said.

Journey offers various electives in visual art, including a dedicated 3D Sculpting course to seventh- and eighth-graders. Sculpting is one of the most requested classes. Students sculpt with clay and create at least two ceramic pieces. They also explore other 3D media, including papier mache, plaster, wire, wood and others.

Bagwell has worked eight years with Madison City Schools – six years at Discovery Middle School and two years at Journey. She is married to Derek Bagwell, who works for Shottenkirk Honda.

“I enjoy all kinds of art, especially drawing with charcoal and pastels, and painting with gouache,” Judy Bagwell said. “I’m also a longtime scrapbooker and card-maker. When I have the time, I love exploring genealogy and learning about our family’s ancestry.”

Bagwell is a National Board Certified Teacher.