East of the Gulf Stream,
West of the Canary Current,
Sargasso the Queen of Kelp
Rules the sea without shores.


Since the contest topic was announced, I nursed all sorts of ideas/concepts for my entry, but, rather than pursuing any of them, I ultimately decided to just let my subconcious guide my hand--I began to sculpt at random and simply let the figure "become" whatever it wanted to (doodling in three dimensions if you like). Other than creating something humanoid and articulated, I didn't really start with any preconceived notions of what I was going to shape. The final result, a mermaid-like creature composed of seaweed and other marine vegetation, is just as much a surprise to me as it is to you. Perhaps I was channeling a bit of DC's Swamp Thing or Marvel's Man Thing? Given its physiology, the figure made me think of the word Sargasso (my initial name for her was "Sea Slattern of Sargasso"), doing some research on Wikipedia concerning the Sea of Sargasso solidified my notion of what she is, and does, and was also the inspiration for the short introductory poem above.



Materials:
Newsprint, Kleenex, white/hot glue, wire twist ties, and acrylic paint.

Dimensions:
7.1 cm/2.8 in. x 5.8 cm/2.3 in. (widest point x highest point)

Articulation:
Eight points: Shoulders (2), elbows (4), and wrists (2).

Time:
Two days; May 26 and 28, 2009.