Liberation of the Couch Potato

Consisting of four stages, a ‘couch potato’ evolves from the earthly plane to the watery, emotional realm, through the fires of transformation, until she is liberated into the space of enlightenment. The fact that the ‘person’ is female is meant for women to recognize the immobilization that results from identifying oneself as a victim. Humor lightens the load of this inspirational message.

The body of the female figure is made of two potatoes (bottom left); she has (very elegant) carrot legs, an onion head and fire-red broccoli hair. Her back is to the great mountains behind, unaware of her own strength and support systems. Lacking ears and eyes, she cannot hear any call of purpose and has no vision. She languishes, immobile and being without arms, and is helpless to bring about her own greatest potential.

In the second 'stage', the female potato figure is now standing and has sprouted arms (above, 2nd & 3rd images from left), with which she is reaching out to something beyond: she is starting to shed her skin and is no longer a 'couch potato' (her torso is now an onion). She has doubled in number, becoming more powerful. At the next stage, she has tripled in number and is really shedding her skin amid a tumultuous fire (above 4th & 5th from left). This is an unavoidable part of the process of stripping off old patterns in exchange for a renewed Self, a metaphor for the pain of giving up what is known (and thus comfortable) and embracing the fear of the unknown. At the final state, the couch potato has achieved spiritual transformation, as indicated by the presence of the golden halo and the gleaming shine to her physical body and the presence of wings, not arms. She has now multiplied herself by four, one self for each of the four directions of North (Earth), West (Water), South (Fire) and East (Air), denoting her vast powers (above 2 right images).

Overall Size: approx. 6’ x 8’

Individual Piece Sizes:
Earth: 13” ht. x 28” wd. x 15” dp.
Water: 18” ht. x 21” wd. x 5.5” dp
Fire: 26” ht. x 21” wd. x 6.5” dp.
Air: 27” ht. x 26” wd. x 10” dp.

Price: $2000

Media: Clay, slip-cast fruits and vegetables, glazes, glue, wood, wire, gold leaf, hanging hardware.