Hyperrealism in sculpture blurs the line between clay and flesh. They can be so realistic that they make some people feel uneasy. Life size wax sculptures, or even store mannequins are easier for our brains to accept, but once the sculpture is scaled down or turned into gigantic sculptures, we feel uncomfortable. Our brains have a “Does Not Compute” moment as we try to grasp what we are looking at.

Most of my sculptures tend to have elements of both whimsy and realism, but I idolize the work of some of the great Hyperrealists like Ron Mueck and Evan Penny. Inspired by their work I like to challenge myself to create hyperrealistic details in some of my sculptures. In this face, besides the expressive lines of her frown, I’ve added individual eyelashes and eyebrow hairs and painted the freckles so that they appear to be under the first layer of skin. Closer inspection and you’ll see the fine lines and texture of her skin. Stay tuned for what the finished piece will look like.