It was 2018. I decided that for my engineering project I was going to build a guitar out of household objects. Although my initial ambitions were rooted in a sleek white electric guitar with a fan where the body would be, my decision to model it after my previous sculptures would prove to be much more practical and interesting. In the middle of my rough sketches and ideas for fish tank speakers, my 109 and year-old great grandmother passed away. 

Shocked and in denial, I flew out to Missouri with my mother for her burial. Being very aware of the fact that the TSA had searched my afro twice before , I knew I wouldn't be able to build any crazy contraptions until after I returned to Jersey. While in Missouri, I tested the electric guitar pickups I ordered on an acoustic guitar my uncle had given me. 

This was confusing because they didn't work like I expected, but at the time, I knew next to nothing about guitars and even less so about playing them. Google was my guide, and after finally returning home and doing more research, I realized I had a week to turn whatever I could find into a guitar.

The fluorescent light of my garage buzzed to life and I entered, gazing at what I thought would be the perfect body for my new guitar: a crutch. From there, I would go on to win my high school art show and perform at a variety of events. I'm constantly improving and maintaining the crutch, as I feel that it carries on the legacy of my late great grandmother; Izetter Bryant.  

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