Psyche Inspired: Miranda Unwin

Institution: Laramie County Community College

Major: Art

Psyche Inspired Class: 2023-2024

Reflections on Psyche Inspired

Reflections on Project 1: Inspired in Space

Inspired In Space

Miranda Unwin

November 14th, 2023

Major: Art

Genre/Medium: 3D print, acrylic paint, foil, LED lights, canvas

About the work: This artwork represents the Psyche spacecraft’s mission to orbit the Psyche asteroid. The Twinkling LED lights in the background represent the distant stars in the vastness of space. The Psyche spacecraft is adorned with silver, gold, and copper foil to represent the various instruments onboard the craft that will examine the asteroid. The antenna of the spacecraft are painted in acrylic deep blue, silver, and red paint to represent the wiring of the solar panels of the craft. The Psyche asteroid is painted in red/brown grainy sand to simulate an earthen crust, the surface is also covered in purple, blue, silver, and copper specks to represent the various elements we may find on the surface of the asteroid. The antenna of the Psyche orbiter reflects the same colors as the asteroid to represent a mirror image of the surface of the asteroid.

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Reflections on Project 2: PSYCHE ODYSSEY VINYL ALBUM

Psyche Odyssey Vinyl Album

Miranda Unwin

January 17th, 2024

Major: Art

Genre/Medium: Digital- Adobe Illustrator

About the work: This artwork is designed to encompass the similarity of movement between gravity waves and sound waves. The musical harmony of the universe is visually represented by the brand colors of the Psyche Mission and dynamic elements that create flow and movement. “Easter Eggs” are scattered throughout the piece tying in the team on Earth’s involvement behind this incredible mission. The planet Earth is featured on the central part of the tonearm. Jupiter and Mars are placed in the background to give viewers an idea of where the Psyche Asteroid and Craft will be located in our planetary system on the projected arrival date in 2029. The 2026 date above Mars is the year the Psyche Craft will be passing through the orbit of Mars to slingshot itself to its final destination. The squared object on the right side called the pitch control features the date of the Psyche Craft launch from Earth. The title of this vinyl album is “Celestial Havoc: The Psyche Odyssey”, which is a play on the Greek epic “The Odyssey” as this mission will be an incredible journey far from home. There are elements in this piece that relate to the Greek tale of the Goddess Psyche and her Godly lover Eros. There is a constellation of butterfly wings to represent the Goddess Psyche and a bow and arrow to represent the God Eros. The name of the composer of this vinyl album is “Violent History of Collisions” which was a sentence that struck me when reading about the formation of the Asteroid Psyche. The pink/purple circle in the center is a representation of a vinyl album that conducts the waves of the Psyche Asteroid and Craft. The Psyche craft sits on the needle of the vinyl player keeping the two objects in sync with each other. In the background of the composition are the names of all the individuals who helped make the Mission to Psyche happen, without their contribution this mission and my role within it would not be possible.

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Reflections on Project 3: Heart-felt Symphony

Heart-felt Symphony

Miranda Unwin

March 29th, 2024

Major: Art

Genre/Medium: Colored Felt, Sewing Thread, Cotton filling, Pipe Cleaner, Velcro

About the work: Heart-Felt Symphony is a 3D interpretation of the multifaceted pieces of the Psyche Mission. Four main elements were chosen to represent the mission, crafted with colored felt and sewing thread. The pieces chosen to represent the mission in felt were: The Psyche Asteroid, the Psyche Spacecraft, the Falcon Heavy Rocket carrying the spacecraft, and the DSN (Deep Space Network) Antenna. I represented these elements with as much accuracy as possible through this interesting medium to the renderings and pictures available through NASA’s database. Each felt character has a unique facial expression created with felt to add fun and humanistic characteristics to the figure. The Psyche Asteroid was carefully shaped and cut out to match the rendering available of the Mission to Psyche’s destination. Each felt figure was cut into a pattern and then stuffed with cotton filling to create a 3D effect. Strips of colored felt were carefully chosen to match the elements of their real-life counterparts. The asteroid Psyche contains strips of silver and copper-colored felt to represent the heavy metals that may be seen on the Asteroid Psyche. The Spacecraft Psyche was crafted with foam felt as a base and then layered in silver-colored felt. A chopstick was used to stabilize and connect the solar panel wings of the craft to the body. The silver pipe cleaner was strewn around the panels of the spacecraft to simulate the radiant energy of space. The DSN antenna is also covered in silver pipe cleaner to simulate the strong bars that support the large dish structure which communicates signals to the Spacecraft Psyche on its Mission. A yellow felt butterfly was also added to the lineup of felt characters to symbolize the Psyche Mission and attributed to the Greek Goddess Psyche. The Mission to Psyche logo was included to represent the multitude of team members involved in making the Psyche Mission possible. All of these felt characters have been velcroed to black sparking felt background placed within a wooden frame. My intention with these felt characters is to make people smile, these figures are meant to be played with, taken on adventures, and enjoyed by all.

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Reflections on Project 4: Psyche Cookie Cutters

Psyche Cookie Cutters

Miranda Unwin

Major: Art

Genre/Medium: 3D Printed, PLA, Tinkercad, Cookies

About the work: My idea behind this 3D-printed cookie cutter was to create something fun and interactive that everyone can use to become Psyche Inspired. I currently work in a kitchen, and having this background inspired me to make art that is food-related for this project. I am excited about three-dimensional design and three-dimensional printing, it adds a new depth and challenge to creating art beyond a two-dimensional setting.

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Psyche Inspired

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Psyche Inspired