Antler Shaping
What—
A genuine deer antler, — reshaped with careful consideration of the organic flow and lines present in its original structure — paired with a rectangular block intended to elevate its presence.
Why—
In a time dominated by single-use plastic products, it may feel strange to engage with an incredibly organic object. This form exploration seeks to bridge that divide— honoring the antler’s original form while making it more accessible to those disconnected from the natural world.
How—
To sculpt the material I used a compressed air grinder with a belt sander attachment, files and hand sanding. To achieve the final finish I used multiple coats of flat white primer and a fine 0000 steel wool.
Unaltered Antler—
This antler was purchased and shipped from Maine as a “shed antler” — collected after the deers’ annual shed/regrow process from January through April.
Making—
My sketch explorations helped me to understand the general structure of the antler. Pictured above are a few of my notes — attempting to understand the antler as both an abstract form and an artifact directly connected to the deer.
Using a compressed air grinder I began to shape, occasionally spraying on a coat of white primer to see the surface quality more clearly.
Block Wrapping—
The block, while visually meant to elevate and contrast the form of the antler, doubles as a platform to speak about endangered animals. Above is a sketch study done before starting the wrapping of my block.
I chose to represent the blue whale through my color palette, aiming to incorporate aspects of both the whale itself and the environment it lives in. I used gradients down the block to give the effect of the ocean depths. Inspired by the whale’s ventral pleats, I chose to create layers of wrapped string, leading the eye back to the antler at the point of overlap.