Brenna Smith

Brenna Smith

The Island of Misfit Socks

2016

Various Papers, Various Glues, Steel Wire, Foam, Acrylic Paint, Cotton Stuffing, Stringed Lights, Fabric, Socks

42" x 72" x 45" 

This piece began as something completely different than what it became. The original idea was to create a large pop-up book, which was sparked by my interest and part-time job in repairing and binding books. Under the pressure of time constraints and dissatisfaction with what my original idea was shaping up to be, I made a choice to change the concept for my piece into something that speaks more to my sense of humor, which is dry, and my personal aesthetic, which is magical, sparkly, and fairy-like (or, it would be, if I had more money to buy a sparkly and magical wardrobe). The Island of Misfit Socks is an amalgamation of my love for twinkling lights, my homeless and mismatched socks, and inspirations drawn from copyrighted, made-for-TV Christmas movies from the 1960's. I am much more satisfied with the results I achieved than I would have been if I had stuck with my original idea.