Break Me

13" x12" x 18"

This piece drastically changed from its original concept and form. Originally, the time of this piece was going to be "Twin" (AAVE usage). This piece was going to display the strong bonds between people through an interlocking chain link arm. They were also designed to be water carrying and storage vessels, with one having a chain link handle to carry it with and the other having a strap handle to be carried over one's shoulder. A piece that addressed both function and fashion. Unfortunately, because of my eager excitement, I wasn't mindful of my making. Once fired, I opened the kiln to my twins and exploded into pieces. It was the end of the semester, and 2 of my 6 pieces just exploded. I could've done the same under pressure, but I stayed calm and looked at it from a different perspective. Luckily, I was able to salvage a large part of one of the twins, and thus began a 16-hour-long studio montage of me working from sundown to noon the next day. My anger, regrets, and sorrows surrounding the incident surfaced as a way to work through those emotions. The new name, "Break Me," came out of the moment of triumph I felt after turning what was once a disaster into a new piece with an entirely new message." Break Me" in the moment was both a plea and a challenge. When disaster strikes due to negligence, the urge to fall apart can be strong, like the world wants you to break. But, when you can keep it together and persevere, the feeling of triumph makes it worth the pain, along with the confidence to dare the world to try to..... You know the rest.

This piece helped me to grow as an artist, mentally and emotionally.