An Effigy Born From Mud and Blood

An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.

I made this effigy from distressed brown paper bag (from Market of Choice). I soaked it in mud and glue then wadded and unwadded it.

The object is also made of masking tape, oak gall, horse chestnuts, rock, sticks and balloon.

The material that looks like twine is brown paper bag twisted tightly.

I made the object as an extra for my 3-D Design class at Lane Community College. The Instructor is Sculptor Andreas (Andy) Salzman.

 One thing he has stressed is that we own an object and deeply discover the materials with which we work. I think I achieved these things with this object--it was an exciting project!

 

Here is where I started....

 

 

 

 

My Artistic Influences and Heroes: Sculpture

RED GROOMS 

 

                                                                   KIKI SMITH

                                                                CLAES OLDENBERG

The Lonely Room

The cardboard box and objects in it are made entirely of cardboard, paper, glue, some wire and masking tape--everything is covered with a layer of masking tape, making it white and ideal for drawing.

I made it as an assignment for Andreas "Andy" Salzman's 3-D design class.

 The drawing below is a drawing I did from putting an action figure in the cardboard room to represent me.

I did the drawing early in the morning to get the melancholy morning light. Then, I added the Portland skyline. I used to live there and once had a life there. It was a dream within a dream.

I bought the action figure--the hospital orderly--at Hiron's.
 They also had the Cat Lady and Vincent Van Gogh.

 The Vincent Van Gogh figure comes with two heads so one can interchange them. One head is the bearded Vincent, the other is of Vincent shaven, wearing a hat with a bandage over his mutilated ear.

Poor beautiful Vincent. He was--like me--lonely and disturbed and unlucky in love.

The Tree Branch Dragon Claw Clay

This object is made from clay and in the photo is not yet fired.

The clay object is the result of a class project (3-D Design with Andreas "Andy" Salzman), where we were to take an organic object and render it in clay.

I chose a little branch from a tree.

I didn't like the clay compared to working with wire and then cardboard, paper, tape, and glue, but as the clay hardened and I got down into the organic object and began really looking, I started liking the process.

I am starting to like sculpture and 3-D design more and more--mostly due to learning from a real sculptor and teacher--and I am a little afraid I might be won over to 3-D art from drawing and painting.

I know this is silly because there is nothing really ever static and unchanging and my fear is from wanting security, stability, and certainty.

Pema Chodron a Tibetan Buddhist teacher says there is no such thing as security and a lot of our suffering comes from trying to seek and establish it.

I need to let go and let the muse take me wherever the muse--and Andy's influence-- will lead.