Giant of the Pecan Tree

Giant of the Pecan Tree
Dimensions: 40” H x 31” W x 8” D
Materials: foam, epoxy clay, paper clay, aluminum foil, metal wire, plaster, joint compound, acrylic paint

This sculpture is my final piece for this fall 2025 semester, an imagined otherworldly mythological artifact! My visual influences come from Indigenous, African, and tribal art, which often carry universal archetypes that express spirituality, psychology, and the human condition.

Influenced by writings of Joseph Campbell, I leaned into the idea that myths from different cultures have similarities such as the existence of giants. The figure depicted in this piece is a primordial giant, a brutish being who is filled with hubris.

My fascination with giants comes from a childhood story. My grandfather would tell us that a giant lived at the top of his pecan trees. If we kicked the tree and managed to shake the branches, coins from the giant’s pockets would fall to the ground. While we weren’t looking, he secretly tossed loose change, making the myth feel real.