One of the most upsetting events that could happen to an artist is an accident that breaks or ruins a piece that they have invested many strenuous hours into making. My sustained investigation was guided by this idea of destruction, specifically how the process of breaking and mending can be utilized in the content of a piece. I was compelled to pursue this in my sustained investigation because it was going to force me out of my comfort zone and would break the monotony of having my pieces turn out as planned. I soon found that purposefully ruining my work was both nerve-wracking and exciting.

This piece, Fragile, is one such piece from my sustained investigation that incorporated breaking as a key aspect. This piece is a series of three types of tools: a hammer, some nails, and a crowbar. Each piece was crafted from clay with walls that were as thin as possible. I then spray-painted these delicate pieces white. Using layers of blue enamel paint, I built up floral and geometric designs resembling fine china that wrap around each of the tools. These visually and physically delicate tools juxtapose the expectation that tools are rugged and strong. The performance of breaking the clay tools simply through typical use represents the societal pressures on gender and the flaws associated with toxic masculinity. While the decoration of the tools alone reflects gender stereotypes, breaking the tools adds an additional and more complex layer that demonstrates the damage caused by these stereotypes.