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Black and white image of artist Matthews in dark clothes standing next to five 10 foot tall clay faces in her clay studio

The Girl Puzzle in Process

The Making of the Monument​

Below are images and videos documenting the complex process of bringing The Girl Puzzle monument to life. For detailed information on the bronze casting process, visit the artist's website here. Please check back periodically for updates. Thank you!

Fit & Weld Bronze Face 5

Add Mounting Hardware All 5 Faces

Patina All 5 Faces

Apply Gold Leaf Details

Crate & Deliver Finished Faces

Molding Face 4

Fit & Weld Bronze Face 3

Wax Casting Face 4

Bronze Casting Face 4

Molding Face 5

Wax Casting Face 5

Fit & Weld Bronze Face 4

Bronze Casting Face 5

Wax Casting Face 2

Molding Face 3

Fit & Weld Bronze Face 1

Bronze Casting Face 2

Wax Casting Face 3

Fit & Weld Bronze Face 2

Bronze Casting Face 3

Molding Face 2

Bronze Casting Face 1

Maquettes Created

Proofs scanned for enlarger

Proofs enlarged

Clay added to enlargements 

Molding Face 1

Wax Casting Face 1

Timeline of the Faces

3D Scans of Original Artist Maquettes

© 3D Scan of Nellie Bly Maquette

© 3D Scan of Asian American Woman Maquette

© 3D Scan of Young Child Maquette

© 3D Scan of African American Woman Maquette

© 3D Scan of Older Woman Maquette

CNC Enlargements of Maquettes

Installation Details, Site Information, Location, Plan View Renderings 

Bird's eye view of Lighthouse Park with rendering of faces position and site plan
Site image of The Girl Puzzle within Lighthouse Park, bird's eye view
Plan view rendering of the girl puzzle monument with facing Manhattan, faces looking to the left
Plan view rendering of the girl puzzle monument facing the lighthouse

© Artist Amanda Matthews, Prometheus Art

In-Progress Images

Image of two giant faces partially done in clay with white foam visible in artist's metal shop
Older woman and young girl's faces partially finished in clay with white foam visible underneath
Artist Amanda Matthews stands on a ladder to apply gray clay to older woman's giant face in white foam
In-progress image of young girl's giant face partially in clay on side and neck but with white foam exposed in metal shop
Almost complete image of young girl's giant face in clay with eye area unfinished and visible white foam underneath
Artist Amanda Matthews sits with finished giant clay face of young girl
Image of finished giant clay face of young girl looking up
In-progress shot of African American woman's face partially in gray clay in front of white foam face of Asian American woman
In-progress image of African American woman's face in giant scale, partially in clay on left side and partially in foam
In-progress shot of artist on ladder working on African American woman's face in clay with white foam visible underneath
Up-close image of older queer woman's face in clay in artist's clay studio

© Artist Amanda Matthews, Prometheus Art

Black and white up-close shot of artist Matthews applying clay to the giant older woman face in her clay studio
Black and white up-close shot of African American woman's giant clay face, profile view looking to the left
Black and white image of artist Matthews in dark clothes standing next to five 10 foot tall clay faces in her clay studio
10 foot gray clay face of the young girl with two men flanking each side
Person wearing dark work clothes in studio applying small plastic shims to giant gray clay face on its side
Gray clay in-progress of the young girl face with the plastic shims segmenting the face into parts
Giant clay face on its side covered in small plastic shims to segment the face and covered in polyurethane rubber
Giant clay face of Asian American woman on its side covered in rubber for mold making process
Man in mask working on top right segment of older woman's face in dark brown wax
Artist Amanda Matthews wearing mask and black hoodie applying heat gun to dark wax casting of part of a giant face
Person with brown shirt facing away from camera applying rubber to one of the giant clay faces to make a mold
Person working on upper right corner of older woman face in dark brown wax
Artist Amanda Matthews wearing face shield, gloves, and mask, using angle grinder on cast bronze
Artist Amanda Matthews wearing face shield, gloves, and mask, using angle grinder on cast bronze

*The Girl Puzzle Monument, as a public accommodation, was designed in accordance with the 2010 Standards of Accessible Design of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Along with accessible pathways, the installation features braille plaques and audio descriptions. 

Black and white wheelchair accessibility logo
Black and white logo for ADA compliant cane rails and walking paths
Black and white logo for braille inclusion
Black and white logo for "audio description" AD

© 2024 Amanda Matthews

Web Designer Audrey Matthews-Fields, Monument Designer/Sculptor Amanda Matthews

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