The Matryoshka Doll sculpture was a collaborative effort between me (Kasia) a mosaic artist and Kyle a designer. We have collaborated in the past, but this is by far our most fruitful project to date. For a couple of years we've been toying with the idea of creating a mosaic sculpture. Finally when the doll came up, we knew that it was the perfect subject. The curves are pleasing to the eye and the form is suitable for applying a mosaic to it. Creating the form alone was a huge undertaking. Kyle spent weeks researching, sculpting and prepping the form for me to mosaic over. I've also spent weeks researching the doll, designing our concept, theme and colors, and fabricating the mosaic. Our doll is a youthful, curvy and joyful. She is a symbol of fertility as other Matryoshka dolls are. She is pure and vailed in white. Her eyes and the pin that holds her scarf in place are green like the jade stone which symbolized life and growth. Her belly, which will swell with life and protect her growing children, is covered with a lotus flower which signifies purity, enlightenment, self-regeneration and rebirth.
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| Mosaic Matryoshka Sculpture (front view), mosaic by Kasia Polkowska, sculpture by Kyle Cunniff, 24" high, 2011 available for purchase |
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| Side and Rear View of the Matryoshka Doll |
Below are some photos of the process of the constructing and the sculpting of the doll form as well as of the fabrication and the application of the mosaic onto the form. These are only a few of the many steps we took to bring our doll to life. If you'd like to see more photos of our journey, visit Kasia Mosaics on Facebook.
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| Kyle creating the form of the doll |
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| To the Left: The geometric plan for the Lotus Flower To the Right: Detail of working on the face |
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| To the Left: Ungrouted Top View To the Right: Gluing piece by piece |
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| Staying up late, working in in parts, hoping to finish in time for the exhibit |
