Sculpture

Ceramics and Acrylic Paint

Chimeras are mythical creatures formed by combining vastly different animals into unique beings. For this project, I created Poppy, a chimera blending elements of a red panda, an elk, and a cow. I drew most of the body shape, coloring, face, and tail from the red panda. I incorporated the leg structure, antlers, and scruff around the neck and chest of the elk. The cow influenced the shape of the lips, ears, and body structure.

I wanted Poppy to feel alive, so I refined every detail to ensure each feature was precisely how I envisioned it. 

Another aspect of this project was crafting a story for our creature. Poppy's chimera species inhabit ancient forests, dwelling in the canopies of wide, aged trees. They serve as gentle guardians, guiding lost children safely out of the woods and protecting them from the dangers that lurk in the darkness. Poppy is still just a baby, but when fully grown, she would be about the size of a small cow. Unfortunately, as a clumsy calf, she fell from a tree, which is how she broke her antler.

I wanted to experiment with light. Early on, I decided on the concept of the arm (left) holding the candle. I wanted the sun catcher to spin freely from the fingers and have the candle running off the palm. Eventually, I decided on a companion piece holding a firework or spark of some kind, and I found the perfect solution. I kept thinking about light as a concept that ties us together and its warmth, and I decided to permanently untangle the pieces with warm-toned LED lights.