Over the past few weeks I have been working on my final project for my sculpture class. I have been lucky enough to be able to go into the studio each week and work on my project. Even if it is only for a few hours, its an escape from reality for awhile. For this assignment, we were meant to construct a life size bust of ourselves. The bust should represent you and look like you. There were no material requirements for this project, but it must contain technical and sophisticated use of the materials chosen.

I initially started by taking measurements of myself in order to figure out just how big bust was going to need to be. I considered making a inner skeleton out of cardboard to support the chicken wire I would eventually wrap around it and build off of. I was not entirely pleased with the cardboard skeleton I had made, it was not sturdy enough.

After trial and error I decided that I needed to create a more stable skeleton that I could build upon. I decided to try using only chicken wire to create the skeleton. I molded the wire into the forms I desired. I had never worked with this material before, but I found it to be really useful! I created a bust from the middle of the chest up to the top of my head. I had to consider what type of stand or platform that this bust would reside on. I was inspired by the style of Greek ionic order columns. I wanted bust to sit on top of something similar yet be unique to my style.

In previous projects I had worked with a white nylon rope material that I really enjoyed and I wanted to incorporate that somehow into my bust. I was able to weave this rope throughout the chicken wire and create a funky pattern within the rope. I liked the way the material was weaving through the chicken wire, so I decided to continue on with that type of technique. Although this time I was cutting up old articles of clothing and cutting it into strips to weave and attach to the chicken wire.

Overall, this final project was a great opportunity for me to look inwards on how I perceive myself. This bust represents how I feel to the outside world at times. I walk throughout this world carrying the weight of different stress, anxiety, and pressure. I walk blindly knowing that I have the inner strength to overcome life’s obstacles, all the while trying to making something of myself in this world.