Wire Sculpture

Artist Statement

My observational wire sculpture was based on a hand soap bottle. I wanted to create something minimal, because I think the fewer the wires the more they would stand out visually. I also wanted to do something tall, because it could fit in as a decoration in my room. My first idea was a flower in a vase, much like Peter H. Reynolds's Ish, in the style of a one line drawing. My back up idea was a cloche hat, and my final idea, as you can see, was a hand soap bottle.

I only used wire to create this piece, there is no glue or other binding agents to keep it upright and together. However, I did use a pair of needlenose pliers to create the piece. While making ideas, I used paper and pen to sketch and that was about it! I started with two circles as the top and base, and then made the upright sides that would connect the two. I then added the final touch, the actuall dispenser, which rose out of the top of the bottle, curved to a 90º angle and a small tip that tilted down again.

When I was first introduced to this assignment, I thought I would make a vase with a flower in it, but I would have only used one wire, like a 3D line drawing. I needed to use the fishhook technique, as well as base my sculpture on an object I could put in front of me and observe, and my vase idea didn't complete either of these requirements. I changed my subject, referencing my second idea, the cloche hat. I had sketched the vase and the hat on my idea generation sheet, however, I thought of something else, something I hadn't even drawn out- a hand soap bottle. It was the perfect size and was not as big and intimidating as the hat was. I used the bottle as a reference, and I began making the sculpture.