In the Studio with…
Susan Nanna Casbarro, Ft. Lauderdale Branch | susancasbarro.com

‘Unchain My Heart’

The inspiration for “Unchain My Heart” came from an intimate place: my mother’s wooden sweater stretcher, which has graced my home for a quarter-century. It stood silent yet potent, a fixture of care and utility transformed here into a vessel of memory and emotion. Now, suspended in this frame, the heart feels alive, anchored between past and present.

Creating this piece was a process woven with remembrance. Each chain and lock is a metaphor for the threads that bind us — to family, to feeling, to the heart itself. The addition of the heart into the frame serves as a silent presence of my mother’s artistic spirit, a subtle, ongoing dialogue between us across time.

My Process

Anatomical photos were reviewed to help with the design. The base was created with wedi board, cut into a heart shape. Hanging hardware was attached and aluminum foil was added to create depth.

Apoxie Sculpt was used to cover the foil and board to create the 3-D aspects. For the veins, beads were placed one by one into the Apoxie Sculpt. Finally, the heart was grouted and attached to the frame and the chains.

 

“Unchain My Heart,” finished piece (19×15 overall, 8×6 heart); mixed media including wood, metal, tile, beads, wedi board (lightweight cement backer board), and Apoxie Sculpt (sculpting medium and adhesive from Aves).