The purpose of the study was to examine the status of contemporary fiber as an art form and to identify critical factors affecting its continued development.An extensive search of available literature was conducted. From this search, coupled with the researcher's extensive personal involvement with fiber, populations were identified and questionnaires were designed.Three pertinent but different populations, consisting of fiber artists, college/university and art school heads, and museum, gallery, and textile directors/curators were selected to receive the questionnaires. The questionnaires were designed to reflect the similarities and differences of the population.Data were treated to comparative percentages, valid percentages, cumulative percentages, frequencies, and Chi-Squares. Four major concerns were identified and discussed. They are:1. Fiber as Fine Art2. The Importance of Content and Message Orientation in Fiber3. The Problem of Plurality and Fiber4. The Need for a Critical Language Relative to FiberFindings and Conclusions1. The division between fine art and crafts still exists. Therefore, the division also exists for fiber art, which is part of the crafts discipline.2. Most individuals are not in favor of limiting the parameters of what constitutes fiber art in order to help gain a clearer understanding of what fiber art really is.3. There does not appear to be a critical language for fiber art except that which is technique, method, or materials based.4. The opinion of whether fiber art should be message or statement oriented is divided. Some were in agreement while others were not. In addition, some of the respondents answered with "sometimes."

This research is concerned with investigating the attitudes of 3rd year secondary pupils towards CDT; with establishing any differences, in both attitudes and personality in the way the two sexes regard CDT and why more girls do not continue with the subject after the 3rd year. The field study for this was completed in 1982. There was a follow up of the sample at the post 16+ stage in order to investigate the actual take-up of further study of CDT subjects to examination level at 16+ and to compare those who passed well ('high flyers') with those who only gained a low pass grade Clow achievers') and compare attitudes and examination performance in the sample schools. The research began with three questionnaires designed and administered in 1982 in several coeducational schools in Hertfordshire - two attitude questionnaires to 405 pupils (301 boys & 104 girls) in 7 schools and the 'engineer' questionnaire to 150 pupils (87 boys & 63 girls) in 3 schools. A total of four questionnaires were used - an attitude questionnaire with a five point Likert scale; an open-response attitude questionnaire and a questionnaire designed to find out how the pupils perceive the engineer. Cattell's HSPQ was also used. Across the whole of the five attitude scales, the two sexes presented completely different profiles. Both sexes expressed a desire for more practical work. Pro-CDT pupils were influenced by a family member with technical skills and tended to be tough-minded rather than tender-minded. Boys who are in favour of CDT are likely to be far more controlled and conscientious; introverts rather than extraverts; neurotic rather than stable and slightly more inclined to like working with things rather than people. In contrast, pro-CDT girls are likely to be stable extraverts, with a slight tendency to prefer working with people and to be lax and expedient. These terms are explained within the thesis. Girls were on the whole more concerned about the form of the lessons, claimed to be more relaxed in workshop sessions in CDT and enjoyed the lessons more than boys. The boys in their personality responses revealed some degree of concern and anxiety. However, there was an almost total rejection by the girls for continuing CDT - especially amongst the intelligent ones - although they found the subject enjoyable and within their capabilities. The girls' attitudinal responses showed that in CDT they lacked confidence with tools and machines even after three years in secondary education. This may be related to their previous lack of 'tinkering' experience. Boys seemed to have a far greater enjoyment and appreciation of the value and skills of practical technical work although they tended to be weak mathematically and less inclined than girls to continue with graphical work. They expressed a greater intention of continuing with CDT and taking up a technical career. Twice as many boys (80%) took up technical studies (CDT) as opposed to technical drawing (41%). Only one girl took any CDT subjects. In practically-based CDT examinations, the 'high flyers' demonstrated a greater pro-CDT stance and found the work more relaxing than the 'low achievers'. In graphical examinations, the 'high flyers' were more critical of the way the subject was taught; were more concerned about the effects of technology on society and were far more relaxed compared with the 'low achievers'. These findings are compared with other research that was going on at the same time. It is hypothesized from the findings that more girls may take up CDT if there was an increase in investigative work and a greater time allocation. Possible sources of further research are discussed in the concluding chapter.

The research is developed through sculptural artworks that seek to raise the question of their being. They do this through their indeterminate presence, which often awakens people to ask ‘What is it?’ I ask how sculpture can encourage people to wonder about what things are, and how the relationship/s we form with art can then lead us to reflect upon our other more worldly relationships. I also pursue the questions of what is sculpture, and what is contemporary art, in order to map out an understanding of the domain of my practice, and the issues at stake regarding the making and display of sculpture. Through a reading of the ideas of Martin Heidegger and other Continental philosophers, I have focused upon the way our (Modern Western) relationship with things in the world is problematic, and how art can help us to address some of these problems. It is through art’s poetic ambiguities that our usual determined and closed relationship with the world can be opened up to other readings. An investigation into contemporary art practices reveals several issues that put the artwork into context and shed light upon difficulties facing contemporary artists particularly in terms of: what am I to do, why should I do it and how should I proceed? My artworks are aimed at raising questions for the viewer about being, sculpture and contemporary art. I have developed the coopering technique of wooden construction to make unusually shaped wooden container-like sculptures. I have also investigated other semi-industrial working methods to construct sculptural objects that oscillate between various possibilities for the viewer. These artworks operate in the field between the familiar/unfamiliar, functional/non-functional and the known/unknown. They resist the viewer’s efforts at stilling the oscillation between possible readings and evade some of the common roles of contemporary art such as being a site for social and political dialogue or being a reflection of contemporary/pop/consumer culture. This project contributes to the dialogue already in play between several Post-Minimal sculptors whose work touches upon constructed and or manufactured ambiguous forms. It further develops the language of how to discuss these issues through my philosophical readings. It extends the coopering technique beyond the simple cask form to discover the technical possibilities for this method of construction. It brings to the gallery visitor an actual experience of what Heidegger writes about art, particularly in terms of his ideas about ‘the truth of being as revealing/concealing’. The research also develops our understanding of the nature of contemporary art through questioning several aspects of it and through adopting outmoded and laborious methods of making that are at odds with our digital age. The artworks are the result of working toward a position of indeterminacy that is alluring, by partially resisting the viewer’s efforts to know them.

Thesis (MA--Art and Design) -- Auckland University of Technology, 2004. / Also held in print (72 leaves, col. ill., 30 cm.) in Wellesley Theses Collection (T 746 FRA)

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: William Mahoney. Dissertation Committee: Richard Whittemore. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University, 1941. / Thesis note on label mounted on t.p. Vita on label mounted on p. [136]. Bibliography: p. 131-[136].

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1948. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Bibliography: leaves [i]-viii.

Thesis (MA--Art and Design) -- Auckland University of Technology.

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