People often want to touch these sculptures. It may be because it is hard to believe that they are really stone hard, or it may be because of the soft nap on their surface. I like both these things; they possess duality and they illicit curiosity. In their finished state, they appear similar to omochi (rice dumplings), sitting on the table comfortable and comforting.

They are all made by pouring liquid plaster into a sewn flannel mold. The two dimensional pattern gradually inflates into a three dimensional object jiggling and sweating beads of water through the fabric. The spout is tied off with a rubber band and flipped over to conceal the belly button. Within minutes, through a chemical reaction, the plaster heats up and hardens. The fabric can then be pulled off and the piece revealed. The nap is the most beautiful at this stage when it is fresh and powdery.

pouring pink plaster into mold

mold is full and sweating water

plaster is hardening through a chemical reaction

peeling the flannel off

finished piece with fresh nap