You probably remember playing with pipe cleaners as a kid. Almost never used for their intended purpose, these flexible, fuzzy crafting staples made every grade school art class ten times more fun. They usually turned into little more than clumsy Valentine hearts, but that’s okay. Even if we didn’t know it back then, using materials like pipe cleaners helped us learn that art wasn’t limited to crayons and finger paints.
But California-based artist Lauren Ryan loves using pipe cleaners, and she’s very much an adult. Far beyond the bent-up designs of our youth, Ryan uses them to create incredibly realistic sculptures that will give you an entirely new perspective on a medium that most of us left behind years ago.
Ryan’s work is often informed by her deep love of animals.
Pipe cleaners lend a decidedly fuzzy flair to her tiny sculptures, which is appropriate for obvious reasons.
The best part is that she never uses glue to construct these pieces, and she only uses scissors when it’s absolutely necessary. According to the artist, using adhesives feels like cheating.
And that makes her work all the more beautiful.
(via My Modern Met)
And just in case you didn’t think she was talented enough, she can also achieve seriously amazing results with more traditional materials. To check out the rest of Lauren Ryan’s incredible work, visit her online gallery. Still can’t get enough? Check out her blog for regular updates, and be sure to follow her on Facebook!