Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, artist Jennifer Maestre shows off the depths of her fascination with the sea urchin and its undeniable texture by combining pencils, nails, and elaborate stitching, she creates a broad array of inspired yet prickly sculptures. According to Jennifer Maestre, her sculptures were originally inspired by the form and function of the sea urchin. The spines of the urchin, so dangerous yet beautiful, serve as an explicit warning against contact. The alluring texture of the spines draws the touch in spite of the possible consequences. The tension unveiled, we feel push and pull, desire and repulsion. The sections of pencils present aspects of sharp and smooth for two very different textural and aesthetic experiences. To make the pencil sculptures, she takes hundreds of pencils, cut them into 1-inch sections, drill a hole in each section, sharpen them all and sew them together.