Garden gnomes: ornaments littering lawns all across the world. Their joyful, whimsical expressions lighten up the garden. But, what if all garden gnomes weren't happy? What if they merely acted happy? They hide their other emotions from everyone. While they may spread joy unto others, within the inner recesses of their mind they are crying out for help. Deep down inside they hold back their true emotions, these festering emotions of pain and hurt.

But what if garden gnomes could release their emotions? What would it look like if garden gnomes let all of their emotions flow out, laying them bare for all the world to see? All of their sorrows, their anger, their fears, their frustrations, and their real joys. Instead of bottling up their emotions, garden gnomes should be able to express themselves freely.

 

To create these aluminum gnomes I used a process called “lost-wax casting.” Six months ago the gnomes started out as a single, clay, expressionless gnome. I created a plaster mold out of that clay gnome and poured melted wax into the mold to create wax gnomes. I carved into the wax to create each gnome's features and then covered them in a ceramic-like shell. I then fired each gnome, hardening the outer shell and melting the inner wax resulting in a hollow mold. Molten aluminum was poured into the molds and, after breaking the ceramic shell off, it resulted in aluminum gnomes. Each one was then sanded and polished to their current state. Their mirror-like finish reflects the people and environment around them, but they are rough and weary from the toils of life

 

Each gnome is named after a different emotion, antonymous from the facial expression on their face. While they may have a label of “joy” or “despair,” they are experiencing the opposite.

The garden they rest on blurs the line between reality and imagination, questioning ones perceptions. Like all gnomes, their home is the garden, so it is only natural that one would find them there. However even at home there is still a chance of suffering, a chance for misery. Garden gnomes have their breaking point too, no matter where they might be. After all, garden gnomes can cry too.

 

You can purchase Jabez here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/152115009/solid-aluminum-garden-gnome-emotion