Borders Yellow Sculpture

I developed this idea from a digital sketchbook I maintain and develop nightly. (About 1 in 30 of the sketches make it into production.) I started backward from the two-dimensional image, and developed a series of steps to create the various elements of the design. This process included cutting out the background shape from plywood, sealing and painting. I then extruded black polymer clay borders and topped with copper mosaic strips. Each section was then filled with rolled out yellow polymer clay. Blue stained glass was cut into each shape and layered on top, with polymer clay extruded and edging each piece. White and red glass was kiln fused into peppermint stripe pieces. Fuchsia clay dots were topped with glass gems, and wire wrapped and curled. After assembling and firing, the whole project was poured with epoxy resin to fix the pieces in place. Designed in 2020, this project was a visual expression of the molecular images of the disease in the news that year. I think it also captures the sense of being separated from each other by the “borders,” or the walls of our homes during lockdown. These borders can also evoke a sort of electoral map. I love to work in bold colors but I would say that the colors from the projects this particular year were especially bold. These are some of my favorite projects I have ever made.