Category: Sculpture
For this past Easter Redeemer Church La Mirada allowed artists to participate in creating pieces based on the Stations of the Cross. Here is a detail from mine.The Word Made Flesh
For my church, Redeemer Church – La Mirada, I collaborated with talented Amy Dry to create this life-size sculpture of the Word Made Flesh. This image is based on of the first chapter in the book of John in the Bible. A baby in a manger, with strips of paper that have John 1:1-18 written on them. The strips of paper fade from a Flesh color to paper to gold. (Gold traditionally represents a holy space.)
The idea behind The Word Made Flesh is a simple one, and yet, more complex, the more you think about it. The image of a baby in a manger is an idea that we are so familiar with as a culture, that we rarely pause to think about the strangeness of this image. Yet, the Christian implications of this image are baffling. This baby is God incarnate. This is God, who created the heavens and the earth, who is all-knowing, all-powerful, all present. This is God, whose very existence the human mind cannot fully grasp. This is a holy, intangible, incomprehensible God made into tangible, comprehensible, human flesh.
This is bananas!
Not only is this God as a human, but God as a helpless human baby, and THEN God as a helpless, human baby in a feeding trough for animals. Calling this image “odd” is an understatement. Even so, this image represents so much to the Christian faith. The fact that God is willing to come down to our level to save us, and be with us shows the extent of his enduring love for us.
The Ember Dragon
My latest creation is a dragon! I have loved dragons for a very long time, so this guy was very fun to do. I started with a sketch.
Then, I formed the initial wire base.
Filled it out with foil.
Put on the initial layer of super sculpi.
I decided that I wanted wings after all, so I put wire/foil on for the wing frame, and then put on the sculpi. The thin, skin layer of the wings is strait up super sculpi, but in retrospect, I wish I had rolled it out a little more evenly, but what’s done is done.
Then, I sculpted to my desired effect and baked him! 
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I then painted him with a metallic red paint, and went over with charcoal to give a burnt look. 
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The Artist’s Studio Set
I made a miniature set of an artist’s studio! It was so much fun to make. There was a lot of scouring for tiny things, tons of hot glue, and making of small paintings and drawings. I hope you enjoy!
Here you can get a sense of the actual scale.
Here it is in the beginning stages.
Sven
I’ve been working on Sven for a while now, and he’s finally ready to show off.
It started with a sketch, some wire, screws, and a platform.
Of course, my cat has to be right in the middle of things.
I filled him out with foil, and I then put Super Sculpi on him, sculpted him, baked him, painted him, and then sewed clothes right on to him.
Eventually, I gave him his phone.
I will try to show more of my process for the next one. Thanks for viewing!
Melissa Beth Rose 
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