I began constructing these pieces using contractor paper and masking tape to get the rough shape. I tried using spray foam to build up the shapes, but I didn’t enjoy the material or process. I switched to using a mix of Celluclay and Amaco Sculptamold so I could really get my hands into the material, which was lacking with using the spray foam (plus a lot less toxic than foam). I enjoyed molding by gloved hand rather than carving so it was a good material switch. The photos below show the process before paint and a waterproof hard coat (going to use Aqua Resin). I have the option to sand the teeth down, but I’m growing fond of the rough nature of the material. I’m also happy that these little pieces aren’t biological replicas of teeth but a gesture of inspiration. It reminds me of stones, and I like the idea of these little stark white, rough-hewn monoliths popping out of the ground and greenery in the woods.
Here is the finished piece installed in the park below! My helpful husband Tryon assisted in the installation. It had rained a lot prior, so the ground was soft and easy to put stakes in to hold the teeth in place. A couple of the teeth have wandered off from the set leaving gaps. You’ll have to take a peek to see where they went.
Bear Trap, 2026
Paper, masking tape, celluclay, sculptamold, acrylic, aqua resin, stakes
Installation variable
My newly-minted teenager recently had two baby teeth pulled to make room for a palate expander, prompting me to consider the intrusive nature of altering a body I helped create. These procedures will shape how her body functions for the rest of her life, albeit hopefully for the better. As a mother, I love watching my daughter grow and change, and I’m struck by how much of that change is both natural and beyond my control. This experience led me to consider the human relationship with nature. We remove, reshape, preserve, and rebuild, often with the intention of making positive changes. Sometimes those alterations help, and sometimes they have consequences that last for generations. With this set of sculpted teeth, mirroring the shape of a bear trap, I draw parallels between these choices and the landscape of my daughter’s mouth. The stark white monoliths, rooted in dirt and erupting from the wild greenery, reflect the complicated beauty of watching something you love change.
