Mend

My name is Samantha Schelberg and I am a sculptor. As a studio art major with a concentration in sculpture, physical effort is particularly important in my work. While my experiences continuously inspire my efforts, there is some irony in my choice of study considering my past health issues. I experienced both pain and recovery at quite a young age. Due to medical complications, I undertook an invasive surgery on my neck that will forever affect the movement of my neck and back. The procedure consisted of taking out my hyoid bone, which led me to having to teach myself how to turn my neck again. After a year of physical therapy and chiropractic treatment, I was diagnosed with a musculoskeletal disorder from lasting injuries caused by this invasive surgery. This grew to become an even greater issue when it came to doing what I love to do most – sculpting. Mend analyses the connection between pain and recovery. My curiosity of the spine has grown after years of chiropractic therapy, so I decided to incorporate the concentration into my work. Through clay and mixed media, I am able to express the anxieties that I have suffered and that my body has suffered as well while depicting the spine. Mend is both a memento and a paradigm of my continuous recovery.

Title: Vertebral, Date: December 2020, Dimensions: 18” x 2”, Medium: Clay

Title: Wound, Date: December 2020, Dimensions: 1920 x 1280 px, Medium: Photography

Title: Collar, Date: December 2020, Dimensions: 4” x 1.5”, Medium: Clay

Title: Helix, Date: December 2020, Dimensions: 24” x 4.5” & 18” x 4.5”, Medium: Wood

Title: Flawed, Date: December 2020, Dimensions: 18” x 2”, Medium: Clay

Title: Analysis, Date: December 2020, Dimensions: 8.5” x 11”, Chalk on cardstock