6 x 6 x 8 in.

My idea was to create a puppet stuck in a memory. I initially started my thoughts based around the fish hat that he is wearing. I used to have a collection of crazy hats as a kid, which hits close to home. They made me feel special and safe when I was a kid. I enjoyed the feeling of the Five Nights at Freddy's animatronics, and how they move/deteriorate at the joints over time... this was my ideas for movement and the loose construction I chose. I chose the kitchen scene as a representation of a memory I am stuck in. The kitchen is often where fresh (pure) materials are stripped down, deconstructed without consent, and turned into something new to later be eaten whole or tossed in the trash. I chose chains to tighten the feeling of being trapped, over just using string, which would make it feel like simply a puppet. Lastly I selected orange as the character color, which represents youthfulness and energy... which are the two things that my character is getting taken from him here.

I chose a white fridge to represent youthfulness as a whole... it doesn't exist here, it can't. this is what the scribbles are for. All youth has been tarnished, drawn over. The big eye is a nod to always looking for a way out... keeping one eye open.

As for my process, I started with 3 canvas' taped (masking tape) together at the seams. Two 6 x 8 panels for the walls, and a square (6 x6) panel for the floor. I covered them in glue, and then thin colored tissue paper for the wall and floor color/designs. When that dried, I drew accents with paint markers, while also adding a small frame on the wall (made of wood, newspaper, and thin chain). The fridge was pre bought, but I added a tissue paper flower, as well as some writing on top of it... to make it somewhat of my own. The character was made out of oven bake clay. I put the clay in the oven at 275 for 30 minutes , and then painted it in white wall primer. After this I fully painted the character with acrylic paint, and smaller details with paint markers. Before baking, I had put little metal dowels with hooked ends on the ends of each separate piece, so they could be jointed together later with jewelry hoops. I spray painted the pieces with a clear gloss spray to give it a porcelain feel. I later connected all the pieces with the jewelry hoops, and added some magnets to the characters hands, back, and head, as well as the wall, to give it the ability to self hold poses when not in mechanical use. I also super glued the legs in place on the floor, as the seated position is supposed to stay constant, and only the top half is supposed to move. I added thin chain to the hands as well as the head, and then connected it a simple marionette control I made using two wooden dowels I painted - then connected in the middle using wire string.