Bas Relief Sculpture Workshop (In-Person)

Bas Relief Workshop: In-Person

Jiannan Wu | Fall 2026 | Sep 19 - 20

Class Description:

Discover the sweet spot between painting and sculpture by creating images that step off the surface.

This course investigates the dynamics of relief from shallow to deep focusing on the problems of compression, fixed viewpoint, control of the effects of light and the fluctuating relationship between solidity and pictorial illusion which is characteristic of most problems in relief. The course will begin with exercises that demonstrate the principles of relief–compression, drawing, viewpoint. We will move from low to high compression (from diorama to low relief) and work from still life and photo with water-based clay. After the course ends, the instructor will fire the sculptures for the students; students may return to the Academy one month after the course to pick up their two fired works. NOTE: After the workshop ends, the instructor will fire the sculptures for the students and students may return to the Academy one month after the course to pick up their two fired works.

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Workshop Dates:

Scheduled occurrences for the next session of this class are as follows:

Day	Date	Time
Day 1:	9/19/2026	10 am - 5 pm ET
Day 2:	9/20/2026	10 am - 5 pm ET

Before Class - Welcome & How to Prepare for Class
Day 1 - Still Life in High Relief
Day 2 - Portrait in Low Relief
After Class - Wrap Up

$300.00
In-Person
2 Days
Beginner to Advanced

Meet Your Instructor

Jiannan Wu

Instructor

Jiannan Wu (b.1990) is a China-born, New York based artist specializing in sculpture. He received his BFA Degree in Sculpture from China Academy of Art and his MFA Degree in Sculpture from New York Academy of Art. He is an adjunct faculty of New York Academy of Art. Jiannan Wu is the recipient of the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation grant, winner of 2017 & 2022 Dexter Jones Award presented by American National Sculpture Society, and other awards. In addition, he was selected for Terra Foundation Residency in Giverny France 2015, ABC Stone Carrara Merit Award Residency in Italy 2016, West Nottingham Academy Eric Fischl ‘66 Artist-in-Residence 2019, The Swatch Art Peace Hotel artist residency in Shanghai 2023 and Tombolo Artist Residency in NYC 2023. His works have also been displayed on numerous exhibitions at renowned venues such as Venice Biennale in Italy, the Sotheby’s, Art Miami, and Southampton Arts Center in America, Bonner Kunstverein in Germany, Zhejiang Art Museum, etc.