The Venus Project

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Senior year of high school, I decided to devote all my energy to a massive project that I created with a friend of mine, David Heinzerling.  We wanted to make our own representation of Botticelli's Birth of Venus.  Instead of springing forth from a clam shell, she emerges from a Venus Fly Trap.  We used a wooden frame, surrounded it in chicken wire, wrapped it in plaster gauze, covered it in plaster and then used a aqua green wash.  The hair was made of plaster gauze, plaster, copper tubing and gold paint.  Taking 9 months to create, it really did become our child.  David and I were known for walking around campus covered in plaster, making a mockery of our school uniforms.  We presented Venus to the school and she remained in the court yard for about a month before she was destroyed by a Hurricane.  Born from water, die by water, I guess.  Although this still remains one of the most painful events ever to happen in my life.  RIP Venus.  At least your memory lives on.