“The Weight She Carries”

March 2023


“Innocent Connection”

Bodies and Senses – December 2022

            

Inspired by medieval whips, this piece highlights the deep trust you can create with a partner and the science behind pain and pleasure.

The deerskin leather sleeve is tightly fitted to the skin symbolizing that everyone has the neural circuitry and chemistry to process pain and pleasure. And those two brain functions have extensive overlap, which leads to the feeling of pain being diminished if pleasure is involved. This piece is also meant to point out the stigma that people who enjoy pain during sexual intimacy experience. Even though, scientifically, is not a strange thing for people to take pleasure in. As the sleeve extends to the hand, the leather is cut into long strips. These are the painful aspects of the piece and have similarities to a whip or flogger.

Hiding beneath the strips of leather is a cage that is made of copper wire and lined with hand-felted wool. The cage is a cradle for the hand to offer protection and comfort. The soft wool reflects the pleasurable side of the object and how it is important for people to have trust and a connection with someone that may be conflicting (consensual) pain.

The main body of the work is made of a black, deerskin leather hide. The color was chosen for the aesthetics of the piece, in addition to black leather having a reputation for being used for erotic topics and objects. Baseball stitches and cross stitches were used as a closure and to combine the cage and glove together.

Materials: Genuine deerskin leather, brass, felted wool, and waxed thread.

Model: Aharon Janicki


Reinventing the Eating Experience – December 2022

The spike spoon is a physical representation of the physical or emotional pain an individual can feel by consuming, thinking about consuming, or engorging themselves.

The bowl of the spoon was designed in Rhino software and casted in sterling silver. The handle was sanded from a block of walnut and stained. Rhino was also used to design the spikes and they were casted in bronze. Rings were made to fit flush around the handle and then riveted.

Materials: Sterling silver, bronze, and wood.

Model: Aharon Janicki


Extension of the Hand (November 2022)

Designed to brush up thread, this object was inspired by.

Materials: Brass, leather, and waxed thread.


Fond Object Rings (January 2022)

Each piece was once gathered fabric, a polyester and a wool, and was casted into sterling silver (first row) and bronze (second row).


Bean Casted Pieces (April 2022)

Photo 1: Hanging sterling silver bean casted earrings. Fabric ring casted in sterling silver.

Photo 2: Bean casted earring studs. Brooch with leather backing and sterling silver pieces hand stitched on. Ring designed in Rhino and casted in sterling silver.

Photo 3: Hanging sterling silver bean casted earrings. Bubble ring designed in Rhino and casted in sterling silver. Tooth ring hand carved from wax and casted in sterling silver. Tooth set into ring and covered with resin to seal.


Paper Casted Brooch (February 2022)

This pieces highlights the impact of waste in the fashion and food industry. Overproduction and overconsumption is a problem worldwide that we often turn a blind eye to. By making this piece I wanted to call attention to the importance of sustainability and the hidden impact you have on the environment.

Mulberry paper hand dyed.

Fond objects casted in Mulberry paper: aluminum can, plastic water bottle, egg carton, lemon, banana, and wooden hanger.