194,000 TOOTHPICKS
Because of the astounding success of the movie, many mistaken Wayne Kusy's model of the Lusitania for the Titanic. Both ships had four funnels (smokestacks) and they had the typical dreadnaught shape with flat prow common in early 20th century steamships. Though the real Lusitania did not break in half as did the Titanic, Wayne's model is built to sepperate to get in and out of his apartment. Lusitania was the ship sunk by a German torpedo at the onset of World War I in 1915. Three years after the sinking of the Titanic.
The Lusitania was completed in 1994 after two and a half years of tedious work. Wayne's technique of bending and breaking and cutting toothpicks into the form of a ship had reached another plateau. Not only did the Lusitania have portholes and stairs, it had copper porthole covers and stairwells. Not only did it have well decks and lifeboats, it also had open weather decks and lifeboat oars and seating. The skeliton frame infrastructure, which supports the integrity of the ship was densified with over 5 gallons of woodglue.
Lusitania is built in two sections. Both pieces can store easily by standing on end (see Queen Mary pics)straight up toward the ceiling. Joining these two sections is a toothpick interlocking deadbolt system. This is a system of two sets of toothpicks shafts. Each shaft is connected to each section of the ship. When the sections are closed to make the ship whole, the ajoining shafts meet at a common endpoint. A household curtain rod acts as the deadbolt to fasten the pieces and tighten them in place. So tight is it, that one has a hard time seeing the seam.
Lusitania is the ship that brought Wayne Kusy world attemtion for his amazing craft/artwork. Covered by CNN and the Chicago Tribune, he had made his beginnings as an outsider artist (see About the Artist). Lusitania has been pictures in over 100 publications around the world. If you would like to see the ship, it's docked at Baltimore's AMERICAN VISIONARY ART MUSEUM.
BACK TO HOME PORT
194,000 Toothpicks, 16 feet long
