Guntren, Anthony, authorFaris, Suzanne, advisorHarrow, Del, committee memberKneller, Jane, committee memberLundberg, Thomas, committee member2015-08-272015-08-272015http://hdl.handle.net/10217/167021I frequently ponder the buzz that surrounds a person at any given moment in a day. Stopped at a traffic light, I gaze around at other people in their cars and think of all of the experiences that have brought this group of humans to the same point, waiting for the light to turn. These brief moments of simultaneity--these intersections of individual experiences, environments, and objects--are wonderful features of being alive; the ability to contemplate these brief moments is uniquely human. As well as offering critical analysis of five separate sculptures, this paper delineates the conceptual framework, artistic influences, material considerations, and compositional choices as it relates to the creation of sculptural body of work titled Cognition, Constructs, and Contemplation. The forms presented in this body of work attempt to reconcile ideas of "cognition" in visual form by abstracting isolated units of complex neurological systems that govern the transmission of thoughts, memories, and emotions. These sculptures are composed into naturalistic constructs that draw inspiration from cyclical systems found in both the natural world as well as the manmade. My intention is to evoke contemplation on the unseen forces found in the space inside and between living entities, and in the objects and landscapes that surround them. The space between bodies contains an unknown energy that pulses with the cognitive output of all living creatures.born digitalmasters thesesengCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.cognitionmaterialitysculptureGuntrenartmemoryText