portfolio | Rocket Squid

Sculptures

In my mid-20s, I bought a pair of Leatherman folding pliers and started experimenting with wire sculpting. This development turned my art from 2d to 3d which gave me a lot more freedom. The materials used also allowed me to express my interest in the natural world in a different way. I have used 3 pieces as examples for this portfolio: the fly sculptures, a life-sized piece based on my body and interpreted as a goblin decorated in spirals and sea glass, and a sculpture I made recently depicting an octopus wrapped around a piece of driftwood. Once again, the inspiration for my sculpture was coastal habitats and the creatures that inhabit them. To create the sculpture I read about, observed, took photographs and filmed underwater videos to watch animals move in the water and created concept sketches of the subjects.

Octopus Sculpture

The octopus itself is 135 cm tall and is made up of a 'skin' that is covered with coloured beach glass and beach finds. It consists of an interwoven mesh onto which these items are attached. The interior of the octopus is illuminated by LED fairy lights, so when it is lit up at night it throws shadows and shapes onto nearby walls.

Reference photograph of hermit crab.

The crabs used for the sculpture are made from wire and beach finds. They are used on the driftwood to create a habitat setting for the piece.

Animation

I have recently been using Blender to create animations. I am still learning the basics, but I provide some pieces that I am working on below. My main example for this section relates to an animation project that I have been working on for some years, as time has allowed. This is an animated children's story with an environmental theme. It's main characters are Martian Baked Beans. I originally planned this as a 2d cartoon strip, but as digital software became more accessible, my focus for this project has changed to animation.