Is it the end? Not entirely. Though I've nearly finished every element of the sculpture, I need to finally bring all the components together.
My time management ended up being more productive than expected. Enough so that times when the plaster decided to give up on me I was able to allot time to fixing problems with the material. In its final stages, it's easier to recognize the marine influence on the piece. Both the shell and legs have appropriate weathering; however, their cohesiveness is questionable. This is because the interior is in need of some attention. The interior is what will tie together the legs and the body, instead of an exposed wire mesh and haphazardly displayed limbs.
What has kept me from approaching this component is the uncertainty of material. Earlier attempts at applying a paper mache base on the inside proved unsuccessful, so my second option of using cloth to line the interior suffered from my own hesitation. I wanted to give the interior of the shell the same color as the exterior. Unfortunately, matching the acrylic colors ended up taking too much time. I went back and looked at more examples of hermit crab shells, which helped me feel more justified for using dark fabric as the main lining since one normally can't discern the details inside a shell.
So this is what I've managed to achieve since the last blog post. As seen in the pictures, the shell has gotten a makeover with some acrylic paint. This addition added dimension and life (ironically so) to the body of the piece. The three ridges have also been built up on and an abundance of smaller shells were added to increase the aged, weathered effect. Texture has been integrated more efficiently. Something I had to alter was part of the material. Since the wire mesh is still considerably flexible, pieces of plaster kept crumbling away from the underside. As a solution I covered the bare spots with flexible modeling paste which will also help to ensure the rest of the plaster stays put. As for the legs, this is where the least amount of modification can be seen. I simply re-tightened the wire connections and started on textural detail.
My plans for installation have varied from the very beginning, but not by much. I finally came to the conclusion that the legs will be removable for ease of transport, and to protect the shell from any possible damage. While a pedestal can work for smaller exhibitions, the true installation plan is to find a corner or more secluded area of the gallery and place down some pre-poured sand before tucking the shell close to the wall. The sand won't be loose, but it will cover a stiff cloth pile to give the illusion of larger dimension. I plan on positioning the shell so you can look at is straight on, but also be able to view the piece from the side or a skewed angle. During the start of this project I did consider creating a pedestal, but the time that would have taken wouldn't have been realistic for my own pacing.
Seeing my piece in its last stretch of progress is...interesting. While I'm satisfied with how I've worked with plaster, I'm already getting the urge to do more, to restart and render the shape of the shell better. The copper limbs are another portion that I get the compulsion to improve- or reinvent entirely. Something like different sizes, more elaborate sawing for detailed shapes on the leg segments. For now though, I can appreciate what I've accomplished.
My final critique went well, and the feedback I got has definitely nudged me in the direction I think is best to bring the most out of my piece before I can call it completed. It was obvious that my theme wasn't the most tangible with my piece. Though I don't mind that, because overall there is a solemn feeling communicated- whether or not the audience recognizes my personal description of 'the dangers of passivity and inaction'. A piece of feedback that has repeated throughout my critiques is if I'm going to have any form lurking in the back of the shell. After consideration I will probably modify my piece to have some kind of head or recessed body to pull together my concept. Another suggestion was to display the sculpture so not just the front view is available, and I fully agree with this comment.
As a senior, this piece certainly reflects my growth as an artist. I've always enjoyed mixed media so such a project has allowed me to approach materials with freedom of technique and material. I have adapted and grown, through the use of materials both familiar and unfamiliar. Plus, I actually enjoyed the painting element of this piece.
I looked to an artist by the name of Lauren Clark who brands their work as PhoenixNebulas or PhoenixCryStudio for inspiration towards the painted surface of my piece's shell. Based in New Hampshire, Clark uses real skulls, sculpy, resin, and apoxie, (among other materials) to sculpt fantasy reminiscent animals. Both real and mythical animals can be found in this artist's portfolio, and the textures achieved on some of the paint jobs were influential to how I approached my own piece.
