uprooted

polymer clay, acrylic paint, nail polish, beads
2025

This piece was sparked by a 3D-design course. We were tasked with creating based on the prompt "roots". I chose the mussel to represent growing up with them. Eating them at restaurants with family, picking them at low tide, boiling them on beaches with friends, and sharing them around the table at a cabin, old photos lining the walls.

I used polymer clay to form the mussels, carving out ridges to add texture. Using matte and metallic paint, as well as iridescent nail polish, I painted them. I then threaded beads to create the byssal threads that mussels use to root themselves to rocks. I wanted them to be small enough to hold in your hand just like a real mussel.