(sorry about poor photo quality, it's scaled up from a tiny jpeg)
A3- pastel, paint, tea & coffee drawing, 1992
I drew 1000's of seed pods during my time studying at the herbarium in Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. It was only when working as a volunteer in the gardens years later that I found out how lucky I was to be allowed in there, apparently they just don't let people in to do that sort of thing. I can only image that the woman who gave me permission was bowled over by my obsessive enthusiasm for seeds and pods. Let's face it, most 21yr olds wouldn't choose to spend a month of their summer holidays in what is effectively a library of dead plants. But to me it was like finding a treasure chest, there were things in there that took my breath away (literally, some were a bit poisonous!) and I would have stayed longer but that was also the summer I headed to Canada on the college exchange.
Fused and heat coloured copper 1992
These are some copper pieces I made that were influenced by my summer drawings. It was also a point where I took my environmental concerns further and did all my Canadian work without using solder to join pieces or chemicals to colour them. I wanted to emulate the way that in nature heat joins metals together and colours them...
24 comments:
Wow, that's breathtaking! They look a bit like jellyfishes with the tentacles, don't they?
Your pretty close there, they were partly influenced by my squid and cuttlefish studies. Nearly everything I do has some watery connection. So glad you like them, I should show a pic of how they look opened out (the wires spread wide). And also how sweet they looked when my mum hung one up and put flowers in it.
Your drawing of the pod and sculpture are wonderful! jellyfish? I say squids :) I definitely vote for more of your work here.
Thanks CS
I'm definitely feeling easier about showing my older pieces, but still too wimpy to show the really personal stuff.
these are wonderful! i would LOVE to see you newer work too.... but, i shall be patient.
I'm sure your patience will pay off. At the very very least I won't be showing it until I a) find my photo's or b) find the pieces themselves and get the time and space to take fresh photo's. But I'm pretty sure it will happen, one day. Even if it means just letting people see by email rather than by blog.
cally... SO SO SO glad to see these... really. made my morning. just beautiful. and slowly but surely is fine w/ me. will wait patiently till you reveal more [please please please]
XO
Great to see more of your work! Thank you for sharing it. I am thinking of you from across the Atlantic.
Your seed pod is amazing! I can imagine how wonderful it must have been to be allowed in that part of the botanics - any part of the Botanic gardens in Edinburgh is amazing - but a secret, crowdless part must be amazing!!
Really like that seedpod, tentacly ends and hairy bits sticking out and the shine of the yellow interior. Show us the open one, please!
Di
Ooh, no blog project, I saw, I saw! I will post about it so everyone goes to see!
Hi M
By open ones I was meaning hte metal ones, though I still have that little seed pod somewhere in my ridiculously dusty pod collection, goodness only knows what else may be living in the box with them, it is always scary to open these things up!
Cally these are really wonderful! Do you still own them? I can see a whole bunch of them hanging by a window, leaving our minds to ponder on their beauty!
Helloooo Ulla,
I keep meaning to send you more links, but just not got enough time on the computer just now.
Re. the pods, I suppose I do still own them, they live round at MrP's house (hence being available for photo's) but I don't know that I ever officially gave them to him, more a case of they suit his space more than mine.
The one my mum has with flowers in it hangs on the white wooden panels of a deep cottage window, it looks so pretty there. I like the way that each person displays things differently and it so often transforms the way you see them.
Yum, these are lovely.
Oh Cally, im so sorry for my late response to your beautiful work!!!!!!!!! Thank you for showing it..i love the copper pieces!!
And being allowed into see secret pods and seeds....JEALOUS!!!!!!!
more please, hugs xxxxxxx
Such fantastical form to be found in nature... beautiful.
see you, g xo
your copper pieces are really fabulous!! love their forms and the different color shades!!
they are really beautiful, Cally! Really great to see some of your work.
mmmm secret podsss
cally, these are absolutely beautiful. i am sad i didn't see them this weekend, but thrilled to view them now. inspiring and delicate, i can't wait to see more more more... as lisa said...please please please!
Cally, this is very very beautiful!!
I also would love to see more
well, since you're all twisting my arm... i will go and look in some boxes this week, see what I can find. x
Really awesome !
I just found you through Susan at Art Esprit. These seedpds drawn or constructed are truly beautiful! BTW, where did you do your exchange in Canada? I'm from there and studied art at the Ontario College of Art & Design in Toronto.
The drawing is quite lovely and I am intriqued by the sculpture, maybe you can show us a pic of it opened up??
Post a Comment