Assignment: Independent Study

Title: Nesting Bowl Bear 

Student Written Reflection (As part of an ACE 7 Requirement):

“My nesting bowl bear sculpture was conceived as a representation of (and response to) living as a highly sensitive person with ADHD. Throughout my life I have received the message that my feelings and emotions are often “too much” for other people. I have spent many years learning to hide my inner rollercoaster to make others feel more comfortable, but in this project, I celebrate it. I visualized myself as a bear – part snuggly friend, part wild and dangerous beast – and gave the bear a rich inner life full of color, texture, and play. The sculpture is designed to be an open-ended sensory play experience. The making process mirrored this as well, with many opportunities for experimentation and play. I began by coil-building the general exterior shape, then sliced it into rings which serve as the rims of the bowls. The interior of each bowl was made from a slab that was attached to the rims. The various textures and glazes represent my favorite results from many test tiles. There are small pinch pot birds to keep the bear company (because we all need friends), a quilt inspired by the small mats used in children’s Montessori work to denote a space for the objects to be explored, needles and yarn for lacing, marbles for rolling, a labyrinth for meditation, and even a smaller version of the bear itself for stacking. The sculpture invites you in to experience a tactile moment of mindfulness. When put away, the various parts nestled invisibly inside, the bear stands quietly serene. Maybe even a little proud of herself.”

-Jess M.