Master of Disguise
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Sculpture by
Ellen Woodbury
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Rosso Verona Marble
on Texas Shell Stone
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14 x 11 x 10 inches
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completed February, 2011
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"Master of Disguise" was created as a private commission for a family on the East coast. The eldest son had an internship at the National Zoo in the Invertebrate Department caring for the cuttlefish. The entire family learned about and became fascinated with the cuttlefish as a result of his internship. When I was asked to create a sculpture of the cuttlefish I became fascinated with this creature as well.
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There are over 100 species of cuttlefish and they live just about everywhere in the oceans of the world except the waters around the U.S. Cuttlefish are highly intelligent cephalopods related to octopus and change both color and shape in a matter of seconds to blend with their environment. The opposite side of "Master of Disguise" shows the cuttlefish camouflaged and blending in with the aquatic plants.
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Cuttlefish have a most amazing skin composed of layers of pigment cells which give them the ability to change to a variety of colors. Their eyesight is excellent, and they can morph shapes in their skin to mimic the shapes of plants and rocks in their vicinity. This is their only defense against the many predators who feast on cuttlefish, and just about everybody, including people, eat cuttlefish. One of the layers of pigment cells in their skin is shades of red, orange, and brown--very similar to the colors in Rosso Verona, the Italian decorative marble from which the sculpture is carved.
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The research, planning, and sculpting of "Master of Disguise" was an adventure and a delight. This animal looks like a spaceship with tentacles and has unreal talents to match its appearance. I knew nothing about cuttlefish until this commission, and am grateful for the opportunity to learn about and interpret such a natural wonder.
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My next sculpture brings together a smelly stone, an opulent black and gold marble called Portoro, and a smelly animal, the skunk. The former inspires the latter, and the result is poetic fun.
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Photo by Mel Schockner.
Text and image copyright 2011 by Ellen Woodbury.