Every now and then, a project comes along that’s just plain cool—literally! I was commissioned to create a sculpture of an ice hockey player that would light up, and I couldn’t resist the challenge.
To get the form just right, I turned to the perfect model: my son. Armed with rolls of clear cellotape, I began wrapping him (carefully, of course!) until the layers started to take on the shape I needed. It was a fun, slightly hilarious process—but one that really worked.
Once the base form was strong enough, I added extra tape to build out the details—like the clothing, helmet, and stance. Then came the lights, strategically placed to make the sculpture glow and capture the energy and motion of the game.
The final result? An awesome, life-sized, light-up ice hockey player that looked like it had skated straight out of a winter wonderland. It was such a fun commission to work on—and a reminder of how playful and creative sculpting can be when you’re willing to experiment with unexpected materials.
