Consonance

This sculpture is made of steel-impregnated paint on laminated wood and measures 67”w x 48”h x 5”d. It was made in 2007 by Professor Jim Agard and was one of several works given to Musselman Library upon his 2012 retirement. Titled “Consonance,” it is the largest in a series of interior structures Agard fabricated over a decade. It was exhibited in the 2011 “Art of the State” at the State Museum in Harrisburg.

How Consonance was Made

It was created by using Luan plywood. Two laminated ¾ inch plywood planks form the core of the piece and give it structural strength and integrity. Other ½ inch cut and fit pieces of the plywood were added to complete the varied levels of the structure. The piece was then filed, sanded, primed and painted. The final stage required two sprayed applications of an “activator” that chemically reacts to the two initial coats of the steel impregnated paint. The piece was then left overnight and the resulting surface patina was surprising and uncontrolled.

Jim Agard

Agard spent 30 at Gettysburg College as a professor of art and art history. He holds a BS from SUNY New Paltz in art education and an MFA from Rutgers University. Prior to coming to Gettysburg he was a professor and gallery director at Green Mountain College in Vermont.

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Curated by Musselman Library