As America wages a war on drugs, it seems like our nightly newscasts are filled with more and more drug-related crimes.
But as with many news narratives, the blame always seems to lean on those with addiction problems. While doing drugs certainly isn’t healthy, the way many people look at addiction leaves out the fact that the addiction itself is the disease.
Addiction isn’t just about drugs and alcohol. If you or someone you know has ever tried to lose weight, you know how hard it is to actually lose those pounds and cut down on the cravings. You could even go so far as to say that food cravings and drug addiction are both mental blocks that prevent healthy progress. A person may want to lose weight, or quit using drugs, but saying you want to quit and actually gathering up the willpower to stop are two different things.
Something that helps a lot of people struggling with addiction is finding a new way to spend their time. Refocusing your attention into another passion can sometimes be the key to breaking the habit for good. Case in point sculptor Victor Seiche, who took his love for all things dark and twisted and transformed them into a new passion: carving and sculpting using animal skulls.
Seiche, an artist from Transylvania, Romania, began his exploration of skull carving after he was arrested for drug possession nearly four years ago.
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Recounting his artistic origins, Seiche told Bored Panda, “I started carving skulls because I was forced to quit many different substances at the same time. It became my way to detach and was the only thing that kept my sanity throughout that ordeal.”
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Following his arrest, Seiche was given the option of facing prison time or paying a substantial fine. Choosing the latter, the former addict made the decision to find a hobby that would help take his mind off drugs.
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A close friend gifted the man a wild boar skull, and Seiche began cleaning it to help calm his nerves after quitting drugs cold turkey. It was then that he arrived at the idea of learning to carve and sculpt the skulls into beautiful works of art.
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Seiche’s first few pieces were lightyears away from the artist’s full potential. Even using improper tools, he advanced his skills and began selling his pieces in order to buy the best materials.
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In less than a year, Seiche had saved up enough money to purchase a micro motor and drill bits designed for carving.
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He began to acquire clients from all around the world that were interested in his meticulous works. “I sell to people from all creeds and nations. There doesn’t seem to be a certain type of person that buys them,” Seiche told BoredPanda.
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Seiche draws inspiration for his designs from the dark arts. Heavy metal music is often the soundtrack to his creative process.
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And despite his medium consisting of dead animal skulls, Seiche obtains his skulls without resorting to killing animals.
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“I usually scour the woods, road kill, flea markets, sometimes I get them from local farmers that raise and cut down their animals for meat. I usually buy the skulls off them with meat and everything on them, then I clean all of them myself,” Seiche said.
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Next up for the masterful carver is his first attempt at completing an entire horse skeleton.
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(via Bored Panda)