Lincoln artist turns personal struggles into sculptures celebrating pregnancy
Rosie Wigan’s 3D sculptures capture emotional milestones for mothers, from first pregnancies to long-awaited arrivals
A Lincoln artist has transformed her own experience of post-natal depression into a unique way for mothers to celebrate their pregnancies.
Rosie Wigan has now created over 100 sculptures, each one crafted using a 3D scanner - to capture every curve - before being hand-finished.
Rosie’s inspiration came from the challenges she faced after her first child was born.
“It was just a really rough time,” she said. “So when I got pregnant the second time, I wanted to do everything I could to celebrate the journey and embrace the experience.”
The project has since become a source of joy and healing for other mothers, particularly those who’ve had difficult paths to pregnancy.
“A lot of the time, the response is really emotional. I get people saying they’ve had happy tears cradling their baby while opening their sculpture. For me, that’s the magic - capturing that special moment in time,” Rosie explained.
The Lincoln artist says she aims to make the experience as enjoyable as possible, starting with a relaxed scanning session.
“Pregnant people will come in and we’ll practise a few poses before I scan a few options for them to choose their favourite from,” Rosie said.
Once a pose is chosen, the 3D model is printed before the detailed finishing begins.
“Some of them have up to five rounds of sanding, and then they’re polished, painted or waxed to finish them off."
“Not everyone knows that it’s you, but you know that it’s you," said Rosie.
"There’s something magical about being able to touch your bump and feel it again - having that tactile reminder, because you really do miss it when it’s gone."
Her work has resonated with women marking different milestones - from those celebrating the end of a long fertility journey, to others commemorating what they know will be their last pregnancy.
“Sometimes I get people who’ve been through quite a long process to become pregnant and want to mark that milestone. Other people come when perhaps it’s their last pregnancy, and they want to make it special,” Rosie added.
What started as a personal project has now become a celebration of motherhood in all its forms.