Decorative Upcycled Animal Sculpture by Sweetieboosh I Artsy Shark

Artist Sweetieboosh shares a mixed media collection of whimsical and highly decorative animal forms. Visit her website to see more.

“Orange” foam, antlers, tapestry, tin, trim, beads, zippers, sequins and pins, 35″ x 18″ x 23″

For me, the studio is one of few places that I find comforting and provides a sense of belonging.

“Lone” foam, tin, steamer baskets, pillow case, zippers, sequins, and pins, 13″ x 11″ x 16″

I have lived in my art studio for years, constantly engaged and surrounded by the possibilities inherent in materials and forms This level of interaction keeps me in a state of wonder and problem solving.

“Love Chime” foam, sequins, pins, bell, chimes and fabric, 6″ x 4″ x 5″

A frequent practice of mine is to disassemble one collected material then meticulously add it back on to a form in a new way. In this way, I create layers and take on the challenge of elevating the status of that material and disguising it. It’s hard to explain why one particular material catches my eye or why another doesn’t.

“Tab Squirrel” foam, sequins, tabs, zipper, belt and pins, 8″ x 6″ x 7″

The act of collecting the material involves a whole other adventure. During this hunt, I look for a new material or a material that I have an immediate idea on how it can be disassembled; then I obsessively gather the material. Once I have run out of it all, it becomes part of a process that feeds the design or feeds the idea further.

“White Bun” foam, buttons, sequins, repurposed fur remnant, children’s shoes and pins, 11″ x 7″

It’s the challenge of finding the new, the joy of creating a surface from the unexpected and the process of joy the viewer experiences in discovering the true identity of an object I have reconstructed a form with.

“Reverence” foam, fiberglass, belts, sequins, pins, zippers, snaps, sweater, rubber and flocking, 25″ x 12″ x 18″

Animals provide a wonderful direct route to human empathy as most humans have tremendous compassion for them. Animals are also of great symbolic importance in almost all cultures. This combination of factors keeps my subject of choice focused on animals, using them to evoke joy and emotive responses.

“Growth II” (wall or pedestal) Foam, sequins, pins, belt and tin, 21″ x 8″ x 2″

I am interested in making work than elevates material and process beyond expectation. Beach trash, leather, beads, sequins, and almost anything else at my disposal can be manipulated and reinterpreted to beautify or break down an object’s form.

“Offer” foam, sequins, rubber innertubes, trim, chain, placemats and antlers, 49″ x 25″ x 32″

I am passionate about finding new media to work with and creating bodies of work that are unique and open to interpretation. The result is art that surprises, seduces and sometimes unsettles the viewers relationship to any given piece. I am interested in blurring the line between fine art and craft and examining my own cultural experience in the process.

Artist Sweetieboosh invites you to follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

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