First Day , 1995 – 2023
Various St. Olaf students
Charcoal on paper
Saurer has taught drawing nearly every semester of his 29-year career at St. Olaf. On the first day of class, Saurer asks students to create simple, non-objective drawings using charcoal on paper. Starting in the middle and working outward, abstract forms emerge. This is a sample of St. Olaf student drawings ranging from 1995 to the present.
This work is available in sets of 10, curated by the artist. Please inquire with museum staff.
Segue, 2002
Aluminum and felt
Composed of 36 interlocking aluminum “x” forms, this expansive installation rests on rectangular pads made of WWII-era wool felt salvaged from the Art Barn, home to St. Olaf’s first Art and Art History Department. The implied landscape undulates and represents the tenuous relationship between humans and the environment. Deconstructed, the sculpture’s individual elements compress down and pack neatly for storage—an inventive solution for storing large-scale sculpture.
This work is available. Please inquire with museum staff.
Streamliner, 2000
Vine charcoal on paper
This drawing replicates the life-scale dimensions of a 1936 locomotive. At its most basic, formal level, this is Saurer’s attempt to “own” an F-series locomotive—a constant source of fascination since early childhood.
This work is not available for distribution.
