Squashy Sculpture: Mashanda Scott

While big soft sculptures have been around since Claes Oldenburg, there’s something extra compelling about Mashanda Scott’s slouching representations of bicycles, pay phones, stools, and other objects. They’re startlingly lifelike, but with a blurred edge, making them inferred structure. The Art Center College of Design graduate has been making soft sculptures for the past year, largely from faux suede painted with acrylic, mostly by hand. "I do use a sewing machine when I can," she admits, "but most of the smaller pieces and intricate parts are hand-sewn."

Once she decides what to create, she takes detailed measurements and photos and replicates the object in life size. And does she have an industrial-strength, programmable machine? Nope, just "an old, green 'portable' Sears sewing machine that my great uncle gave me," Scott says. "I think it's an Army machine. Nothing fancy."

ilovemashanda.com/sculpture.htm If you're in the Los Angeles area, check out her work at the Black Maria gallery through February 13th.