The Creature from the Black Lagoon Nebula Project

The Creature from the Black Lagoon Nebula Project brings my love of strange creatures into a cosmic setting. This mixed media sculpture combines an expressive face, shimmering surfaces, earrings, and luminous details. She is a little unsettling, a little glamorous, and difficult to ignore.

Her wide eyes and vivid lips give her a theatrical presence. Look closer and the textures begin to tell another story. Light catches the uneven surface, while the glow photographs reveal a different side of her character.

A creature built from texture

I brought resin, plaster, latex, mica, and other media together to create her form. Those materials let me explore both sculptural shape and surface detail. The ridges across her face suggest a being that belongs somewhere between a watery world and an imagined nebula.

The earrings add an unexpected touch of adornment. Against her unfamiliar features, they make her feel like a character with her own taste and personality.

Meet her in the light and dark

Choose a photograph below to see the mounted sculpture, a closer view of her face, or the glow view. These photographs show different stages and views of the artwork. Select any image to open it larger.

Choose a photograph Mounted in the light Face close view Glow view

Creature from the Black Lagoon Nebula mounted on a purple board, with green features, red lips, and earrings — The mounted sculpture in the light.

Close view of the creature’s textured green face, wide eyes, red lips, and dangling earrings — A closer look at her face and earrings.

Creature from the Black Lagoon Nebula with luminous blue and turquoise details across her face — The glow view reveals luminous details across her face.

Another glow photograph

Creature from the Black Lagoon Nebula photographed glowing in the dark — The glow photograph from the original project story.

From face to mounted sculpture

Mounted on a wood board, the creature gains a setting of her own. The backing frames her face and gives the finished piece a stronger presence. The photographs above let you compare that mounted composition with views that concentrate on her features.

A character with a story

Robert Bernhardt’s accompanying description imagines her emerging from murky depths and absorbing the fear of those who encounter her. That dark little narrative adds another way to meet the creature. You might see a monster, a performer, or someone entirely at home in her own strange world.

View the original creature poster

Original Creature from the Black Lagoon Nebula project poster — The original project poster featuring the unmounted creature.

Keep exploring the strange

This project is part of my wider exploration of imagined creatures, tactile surfaces, and changing light. Return to the photographs and notice which detail catches your attention next.

For questions about the sculpture, exhibitions, or care, contact me. Follow the individual artwork’s care instructions before exploring its surface by touch.