Reliquary – Jewelled Ribcage Sculpture – Anatomy Collection

Meet Reliquary, a container of holy relics. And what is more holy than our hearts; our life, our glimmer, our inner space? Life and our bodies can be so fragile yet so resilient. They can be irreversibly injured by something so small: an infection, harsh words, a devastating event, but it can also literally be ripped opened and patched back together by the expert hands of Time, Patience, and Care. 

This is what happens when I allow myself to breathe with a project. To problem solve, to engineer, to revel and take joy in a piece. This piece has been nearly two years in the making and it’s evolved with me over that time. THIS is anti-AI art. 2 years of drawing her outside of my head using my hands and heart to mold her with actual blood, sweat, and tears. I’ve grown so fond of her that I admit to being nervous to opening up and sharing what I now think is her final form. I’ve hesitated on finishing her as I didn’t want to relinquish her. I kept holding off for various reasons but I’m ready to share now and hopefully she’ll find that most welcoming home.

This piece holds countless hours of work hunched over casting many of the details and jewels myself or adhering them to their form, painting around details, getting gilding flakes absolutely every where one could imagine. (Some even came with me on a trip to Saint John to forever haunt our B&B room 😆), pearls, rhinestones, and celestial charms compose this ribcage with a sun bursting encrusted heart, pierced by a gold arrow. Glass & crystal beads cascade down the ribcage in luxurious fragility. 

12” x 16”