beginning and ending.

I am finally done with all of my masks. they totally didn't turn out how I expected but still convey what the initial design was. I ran into a multitude of issues, but the result was pleasing. I'm in the process of documenting them now, and will update my blog with the photos as soon as they're done.

I've decided what to do next for my project. Over the past few months I've been very interested in body language. The difference between individuals, the similarities and differences that we consider the norm, and just basically what body language does to create a person's identity. From this I wanted to create a sculpture that creates a certain feeling within the viewer, that's light and airy although the sculpture will be made out of mostly metal which is heavy and stoic. Looking at these ideas after I had written them down I decided to make a caryatid that was solum and created an awkward presence among the viewers, or a medusa like statue that created fear among my guests. From this I decided to go for something I've never truly went for; humor.

I then decided to make an animal and more distinctly a giraffe. The initial idea was to make his head go through the gallery ceiling, or sitting like a child with his feet straight out and licking his face in content. Among brainstorming I dabbled on the idea of making an elephant and making him look light as a feather, but as elephants are so loaded, I decided to land on a giraffe. I then bounced between a literal feeling of the giraffe being a goof, or a less than obvious representation that will create joy within the viewer - i chose the ladder.

From this I decided to create a ten foot tall giraffe that was peering over onto my classmates' artwork. I'll compile a series of scaffolding that will hold the head and body together, and a balancing act among the legs to create a feeling of leaning forward. I'm still working on if I want to make the giraffe see through, or opaque or completely covered. wish me luck!

Update

So I just wanted to update my progress in the past month. I've been away on vacations and helping with a visiting artist most of march, but there has been some progress made! I have made the rubber mold on my wax sculpture for two of my masks. I plan on pouring melted gummies into one and molten sugar into another. It's just the head of the bust i'm using as my first mask, and i plan on altering them so they're not all the same. In order to not ruin the magic I'm going to refrain from uploading any pictures until the final result. The line up goes as follows

1) Denial - i have made the wax sculpture of this and will make the rubber mold once the first rubber mold is done. I will then put dark chocolate with the consistency of almond bark in the mold and have a bust of myself.

2) Anger - This one I plan on making out of nerds. I have a plaster mold ready to go and I plan on pouring nerds with some sort of adhesive together in the mold and creating an interesting backdrop that will be flush with the wall. (there will be some sort of enamel in order to not have the nerds colors run)

3) Bargaining - this one will be one of the two from the head mold I'm forming currently. I plan on melting gummy bears into the mold and cutting the mold in half between the eyes. I will then put gummy bears in a circular shape with the two halves of faces on the left and right side of the circle. the gummys will ultimately mix in the mask, but will sustain their colors when they're in the circle.

4) Depression - This one I'm almost done with. I have the plaster mold created and a powdered sugar positive from it. I just need to buy the black twizzlers rope and connect it like hair. I'm considering finding some sort of silver frosting to make tears on my face.

5) Inspiration - this one will ultimately come from the head mold i'm creating from my bust as well as #3, but this will be the only mask where my eyes are open. I plan on making a rubber mold then a wax mold where I alter the mask to have the eyes open, then I plan on making a second rubber mold and pouring molten sugar into the mold. This will then have a lightbulb in the center of it and look like a light bulb itself in the shape of my head.

All of this work will be done for the critique on Tuesday, and I will FINALLY update some pictures. I will also add one of Guillermo as I seem to have forgotten to last project.

Cheers