cardboard
“Nannette Clapman Blinchikoff takes a simple material, painted cardboard, and makes a geometrically intricate sculpture out of it.”
This quote from one reviewer, brings my recyclable cardboard into the realm of Fine Art.
2000 | Carnival #5 | Mobile | 4′ x 10′ | Media: corrugated cardboard, wire, acrylic paint | Theme: geometric shapes | Series: Dad
Morris A. Mechanic Theatre | 2001-2002 concert season | Baltimore City, MD
Photo captures the Baltimore’s Bromo Seltzer Clock Tower. | Directing the mobile’s installation was a Happening. ncb
This cross-section of recyclable-corrugated cardboard reveals a continuous center-wavy line. | My wavy-line of life.*
History | 1994 – 2005
A new avenue of expression.
In 1994, I was searching for a new lightweight-medium to create a series of abstract-sculptures. I experimented with several materials before deciding upon corrugated cardboard. It seemed to have the potential to mimic abstracted carnival-like Ferris-wheels and roller coasters.
* As I sliced recyclable-cardboard boxes into thin strips, I found special meaning in its three components; 2 flat-planes pressing in on one vulnerable thin wavy strip. Together they give the cardboard its strength.
I immediately internalized the 3 components. To me, the center-wavy line was my line of life, a constant moving entity, symbolizing my satisfying and challenging moments. The two compressing planes represent the minutia that continually interrupt my daily routine. Eventually, incorporated wire into the cardboard’s construction, because on their own, these thin slices of cardboard are very fragile.
Since my background is in metal, I am constantly seeking new ways to make fragile materials more resilient. Corrugated cardboard continues to fascinate me; it symbolizes my struggles with time-management, priorities, and never-ending responsibilities.
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Sculpture Series
Dad | The Carnival Series
Cardboard to Bronze
Mom | The Healing Proess
Mom, Dad and Me
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1994 – 1999
The Carnival Series mirrors the brightly colored amusement-park images of ferris wheels and roller coasters.
These abstracted sculptures are adventures in whimsy, color, light, and form. They were fun to create.
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In 1999, I wondered if it was possible to turn cardboard into bronze? How could the cardboard’s indents survive a bronze casting?
- Since I was no longer casting my own images, I took two cardboard sculptures, Dad and Abstract, to the foundry.
- I was told it would be expensive, but my experiment had merit.
- To protect the cardboard, I was instructed to cover every inch of each image with multiple layers of wax.
- The experiment was a success as the indented details of the cardboard could be seen in the two bronze sculptures below.
See the lost-wax process.
- Step 1. Cardboard covered with Wax: The wax strengthens the cardboard so sprues can be applied to create a wax unit.
- Step 2. Wax-Sprues unit covered with a Mold: The ceramic-shell mold protects the wax unit during the lost-wax process.
- Step 3. The Burn-out: Because cardboard and wax are combustible materials, they burn-out together, leaving negative space inside the mold; so there is room for the melted bronze.
- Steps 4-8. The final stages
CARDBOARD | Stuffing wax into the tiny holes was extremely time-consuming.
WAX | Layering melted wax to Dad and Abstract’s flat-surface areas was quick and easy.
MOLD | A thin fireproof ceramic-shell protects the wax-unit while it is heated. The wax melts, leaving negative space.
BRONZE | The negative space is filled with liquid bronze. | The metal cools to a solid and the refining process begins.
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2003 | The Healing Process | 3 Phases
Creating this 3-dimensional series helped me understand and deal with my own process of healing after a loved one had passed.
My three healing phases and sculptural images share the same titles:
In the Beginning, Slowly Healing and In the End. They exemplify the bonding between a patient and caregiver. After the patient has passed the caregiver and family struggle to cope with the loss.
- The elements of each sculpture and phase are a long stem, a graduating center, and dangling spirals. Each phase tells its own story through my art.
- The long stems are twisted and wound tightly to show the closeness of the patient and caregiver.
- The center openings and spirals grow larger with each phase.
- The patient and caretaker’s spirals both end with yellow tips, to continue their bond as they celebrate the patient’s life.
- The patient’s color palette morphs from red to orange to yellow.
- The caretaker’s color palette morphs from blue to green to yellow.
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In the Beginning | Phase One
- A single red to yellow spiral floats upwards, freeing the soul.
- The sculpture’s center is filled with closed spirals, representing the caretaker in an embryonic state of mourning…trying to find a way out of the sadness.
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Slowly Healing | Phase Two
Because the patient is no longer in pain, the caretaker can take solace in knowing that while alive all was done, that could be done.
The caretaker slowly starts to put to rest the turmoil of the patient’s illness; the sculpture’s interior slowly opens and a few cascading spirals appear.
In the End | Phase Three
Though the patient and caretaker may be physically separated they will be together forever.
- The spirals burst from its tightly-woven stem…leaving an open center to symbolize a sense of freedom.
- The caretaker is satisfied that the patient’s transition was as dignified as possible and that it may be time to move-on and explore life again.
- The 5-yellow tipped spirals are now the same length. All have finally equalized.
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2005 | Mom & Dad Together Again | Celebrating 58 years of marriage
My father died in 1997; my mother passed in 2002.
This Mom & Dad sculpture combines the geometric and spiral shapes of my earlier Carnival and Healing Series. I wanted to bring my parents “Together Again” to continue their endless love story.
- The sculpture’s interior space is stabilized by Dad’s sharp-angled geometric shapes. In contrast, Mom’s whimsical nature is embodied by the exterior’s tendrils that are intertwined throughout the piece.
- I incorporated myself at the sculpture’s base and the interior, with thin-yellow-cardboard strips; illustrating my never-ending interaction with my parents.
I find solace and aesthetic satisfaction knowing that my parents still inspire me.
The spirals continue into my next series of clay, called Candyland.
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