Nail Hugger – Mixed Media Sculpture

I was deployed to MS for three years to help out with a Katrina project. In that time I got to know the area and love the people. We, my friends Debbie and Rusty and I, would venture out on the weekend and pick up treasures found along the road or parking lots. During this time Gulfport was renewing the center medians along the gulf highway – dead trees were being carved into water animals (google this, you’ll be amazed).  I utilized a shaving from the carved tree and polymer clay to make this sculpture that securely holds a nail without using adhesive.

Nail Hugger – Mixed Media Sculpture

Size: Approximately 6″ tall x 3.5″ wide x 1/2″ thick Oak

Important: Everything has a history. Open your eyes to possibilities.
Artsy/Crafty: Polymer clay, tree shaving, stains, clear spray-on finish and my Dremel – I LOVE my Dremel.
Project: My friends each found a rusty square head nail(I kept looking but never found one). The question was how to display it without altering the nail. I picked up some shavings from the tree carvings, carved out (with my Dremel) ovals for the head and hands that I molded with polymer clay. The shape of the square nail was carved out so it would stand behind the hands – with a ledge at the bottom for it to sit on. A small hole was carved in the back for hanging. The head and hands were glued in place, stained it and sprayed with a clear finish. The nail just sits in it’s space, not glued, being held by the tree.