Metallina and Her World (2025)

Mixed media sculpture, digital-to-physical installation
Senior Capstone Exhibition – University of Oklahoma

Metallina began as a spark—an idea I first explored with the help of a large language model. I was searching for a way to combine my love of storytelling, sculpture, and technology. Through that collaboration, Metallina emerged: a forge-born character with grit, strength, and a curious spark of wonder. Together, the model and I explored different versions of her world—brainstorming backstories, mechanical companions, and even a magical workbench where her creations came to life.

As her story took shape, so did the visual design. I sketched her frame, posture, and the tools she’d wield. We imagined her goggles, stance, and the little sidekick who would eventually become Otto—a ground-bound mechanical creature built to help, but who stayed for the journey.

From there, I began the physical process. Starting with small test prints on my Bambu 3D printer, I experimented with scale, material, and structural balance. Eventually, I scaled her body to full size, segmenting her form and piecing together the 3D-printed pieces. At the 2025 NCCCIAP conference at Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, Alabama, I cast Metallina’s torso in iron, making her the physical embodiment of the fusion between industrial strength and creative force.

Otto, her glowing sidekick, was designed to be whimsical and grounded—his inside cup illuminated with a soft yellow light, and his body resembling black iron. He sits beside her in the exhibition, silently witnessing her work.

Now, Metallina and Her World stands as my senior capstone installation. It features the sculptures and a looping video narrative created in Sora, playing beside the work to give viewers a glimpse into her story. In this installation, digital and sculptural practices blend seamlessly, celebrating imagination, craft, and the journey from intangible idea to tangible form.

This piece is about resilience and transformation—about forging your place in the world, piece by piece. It shows all the different facets I use in my art practice and my growth from my previous work, "Pixels to Iron." It's been amazing to take an idea, expand upon it using Chat GPT, draw a character, model a character, 3D print her in many size changes, and pour this character in iron. This work is a strong bridge between what you can do with technology and traditional practices.