Art Explorer #2 - Instant Sculpture

For days, I looked around for materials that would spark an idea in my head for my instant sculpture.  For days, I remained confused and unsure about what exactly I was going to do.  Today, as I sat on the floor brushing my cat, into the recycling bin went an empty bottle of pop.  Knowing my mother would go back into the recycling and crush the bottle, I took it out and stepped on the plastic bottle to flatten it.  Instantly, an idea sparked into my head and this is what I came up with.

Art word of the week:

proportionate -- BALANCE -- harmony

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equal

This sculpture has an asymmetrical (informal) balance.  It does not show points that are equally balanced.  I decided to place a rectangular shape on both the bottom and top of my sculpture, but in different positions, resulting in an unblanced image.  The bottom rectangle is standing vertically to depict standing tall and strong.  However, I placed the top rectangle horizontally to demonstrate finding balance through rough times.



The message that came to my mind when creating my instant sculpture was,

Life is what you make it.

I decided to create a sculpture that was abstract rather than depicting something important to me.  When I saw the crushed pop bottle, milk carton, and crumple paper bag, I thought about those times in life when you are just confused, upset, and have some things to figure out.  Just recently, I got a phone call from my sister who was a little upset that day, and I knew that I was going to be the one to cheer her up. 

The box of cheese bites is the base foundation to my sculpture.  The point in having such a large and strong base was to resemble lifes foundation; family, friends, and any other safeties in your life.  We all go through periods when our dreams are crushed, we are off balance, and things just don't feel right.  That is the time when we go back to our base foundation - the people we love, the people who care for us, and you will be able to find a balance.  The red container on top resembles being in charge of your own life.  Although the rough patches act as a barrier to our happiness, it is up to you to be able to get back on top.

Instant sculptures are a great way to teach children that materials do not always have to be used in context.  Creativity involves thinking outside the box and trying new things.  Having children bring in recyclable objects such as boxes, cartons, and toilet paper rolls allow for a wide range of creations waiting to be discovered by eager to learn children.