TINA SCEPANOVIC

At first glance, Tina Scepanovic's sculptural artworks look like they were machine-made—they are orderly and seemingly without imperfections. However, closer examination reveals the human hand. Orbs attached to flat planes in rhythmic patterns are coated in powdered marble, lacquer, terra cotta, bubble gum, eggshells, and natural lime using techniques that date back to the Renaissance. Mistakes and natural flaws from the processes are revealed in uneven tones, pockets of air bubbles, and scratches. Final artworks sometimes contain 50 layers. "I am guided by the principle that you can create something magnificent from nearly nothing," Scepanovic says. "I often attempt to exhaust a tiny concept, motif, shape, or idea—either through repetition or themes and variations—until a new meaning emerges."

Seemingly abstract, Scepanovic's artworks generally relate to her personal life. For example, during the pandemic, Scepanovic began creating her "Gobstopper" works, which resemble calendars and helped alleviate her feelings of claustrophobia and despair. Scepanovic, who studied psychobiology at UCLA and received her master's in music education at Columbia University, is influenced by the visual world and smells and sounds, especially music. "I often think about rhythm, melody, harmony, and tension in visual terms," she says.