Rural Fence Studies

Following on from my residency at Hill End in 2013 I continue to have a fascination with fences. I was interested in the decorative picket fences, many of which in the town were particularly old and were made using shapes and designs that are no longer in use. I photographed and shared some of them with you in a previous blog post. 

 

Since then, the structure of the fence has been appearing in my artworks. First as a ring design, then a brooch and finally a necklace. 

Over Christmas I had the opportunity to go home to Australia and one of the first things I did was to photograph the Australian landscape and admire the rural and rustic fences.

I particularly enjoy the details of how the wire is attached to the posts and the weathering that occurs from being exposed to the harsh Australian elements. 

These images are going to be the starting point for my MFA work for this semester. The theme is The Body as Landscape and I am looking to create jewellery that interacts with the body based on the idea of fences and gates. 

I love the golden tones of the setting sun against the tall grasses in the paddock. Interestingly this image serendipitously (accidentally) sums up my current interests: communication (telegraph pole and letter box), remote rural landscapes and fences. 

Hyperbolic Crochet

Some of you may have heard of Hyperbolic crochet before. 

I became aware of it in 2008 when an exhibition of crocheted shapes made to resemble a coral reef were exhibited at the Haywood Gallery, London UK, where I was living at the time. The project, organised by the Los Angeles-based Institute for Figuring was a direct response to the plight of coral reef from pollution and global warming.

Hyperbolic plane where the repeat is increasing into every 5th stitch

Hyperbolic crochet is a pattern where one simply increases stitches at a regular rate in every row. The more often you increase, the more quickly the model will ruffle up. It is a pattern that replicates the geometry found in nature, such as the anatomical frills sea slugs and kelp. 

Double hyperbolic plane where the increase is one in every two stitches

 In 1997 Cornell University mathematician Daina Taimina finally worked out how to make a physical model of hyperbolic space that allows us to feel, and to tactilely explore, the properties of this unique geometry. The method she used was crochet.

Seed-pod model 

Recently it has been proposed that the shape of our universe is hyperbolic as well. 

Pseudosphere. Crochet in the round at the increase of one in every three stitches

As many of you know, my recent investigations and concepts in art focus on the Pioneer or Settler. And my interest in lichen was piqued when I undertook a residency at Hill End in 2013 and observed many different varieties growing around the area. I photographed them extensively and recorded a few here. 

My current thinking about this is that lichen can be seen as a metaphor for early settlers and pioneers. Indeed, it is even considered a pioneer plant itself.

So I am currently exploring ways of recreating lichen using various techniques. The hyperbolic plane crochet technique lends itself well to the idea, and I have undertaken some experiments using wool. My next step is to see what happens when they are immersed in a ceramic slip, or recreated using wire instead of wool.

If you would like to try making your own hyperbolic crochet forms, the pattern can be downloaded here.

The Artist's Path Article in Textile Fibre Forum Magazine

I was approached by Janet De Boer, the dynamic force behind Textile Fibre Forum magazine, to write an article on my experiences participating in the Hill End residency and international residency in Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada last year.

I wrote about how I went about achieving a successful crowd funding initiative to cover the travel costs to Canada, provided some tips on participating in and what to expect during a residency, as well as writing about the work created for the residencies. The result was a three page article that has just been published in the September edition of Textile Fibre Forum magazine. 

Click on the images for a legible version of the article.

Participating in the two residencies last year created a different path for my art career. Keeping an open mind and getting out of my comfort zone led to new opportunities and possibilities. I have been swept in directions that I would not have dreamed possible a year ago and I have met so many fabulous people along the way.

The career of an artist has many twists and turns, all of which are made possible with a curious mind and tenacity of spirit. Who knows where it will take me next? 

A big thank you to Janet and her team for including me in the magazine. X

Feature article in Canberra Potter's Society Newsletter

Earlier this year I was interviewed by Kathryn Wells for the Canberra Potter's Society (CPS) newsletter. 

I used to have one of the lovely studios at CPS which has a lovely views and great facilities. It also has one of the most friendly and supportive environments an artist could wish to be involved with. Ill see if I can dig out some images of my studio and its surroundings to share with you. 

The article talks about the similarities and differences between the residencies, challenges I encountered, what I gained from the experiences and how it has progressed by work.

Click on the images for a readable version. Alternatively you can visit the CPS website and download a pdf version of the newsletter. Enjoy!

Hill End Gate Neck Piece

Drawing further inspiration from my time at Hill End my next jewellery piece was informed by the etching below. 

Study of a Hill End gate. Etching 2013

The gate was constructed in wood by cutting slots in the horizontal bars, and the vertical posts were fitted into these holes. I remember being quite taken by this gate design, as I had not seen anything quite like it in my travels.

I enjoy creating marquettes before commencing a design as this helps me work out the size and how the design works in space. Its also incredibly important when working in silver as this helps save costs that may otherwise be wasted through the design process.

So I chose to recreate it in silver, drilling holes through the horizontal bars. The intention of this piece was to pivot on a central horizontal bar, allowing the vertical posts to move with gravity. Below is my first attempt.

Gate Neck Piece #1 detail

Gate Neck Piece #1

Whilst soldering, the tube of silver (second horizontal bar), also filled with solder which rendered the rotating design useless.

Back to the drawing board for attempt and design #2.

The design changed slightly and the pivoting point is now central to the neck piece. I also decided not to solder the tube to the framework, rather, slotting it in and allowing it to be held with silver wire which threads through the piece.

Gate Neck Piece #2 detail

 

Gate Neck Piece #1

The fun thing with this design is the kinetic movement and sounds created whilst the piece spins. The design reminds me a little of music written on a sheet, and the sound is reminiscent of rain on a corrugated tin roof.

Hill End Gate Brooch

My next jewellery project was to make a brooch incorporating the newly learnt skills and techniques of cold joins or rivets. 

Continuing to gain inspiration from the gates and fences from Hill End, I referred back to one I studied during my residency, and produced a non-toxic etching from the same subject matter. I was particularly inspired by this one, as it was held together with bolts, which would have a similar 'look' to rivets when recreated in metal.

Rose Cottage, Etching 2013

Inspired, I built a marquette using wood to get an idea of size and scale. 

Hill End Gate Brooch Marquette, 2014

The final brooch was completed using copper sheet cut into strips and all joins have been riveted in place also using copper. We were also shown how to set a bezel cut jewel in between two layers of metal, and so I incorporated this technique, using a pink cubic zirconia.

Hill End Brooch, copper + pink cubic zirconia. 6cm x 6cm

The Fence Ring

I am amazed at just how much of an impact my residency at Hill End last year has had on my work.

Whilst I was there, not only did I sketch the interiors of the cottage I was living in, I also collected a lot of photographs of the fences and textures I came across on my daily exploration of the area. Some of these images were explored through etchings which were exhibited in Landscapes, Ladies and Literature at the Barometer Gallery in Sydney last year.

This year I have been learning jewellery making techniques and I used the inspiration gathered in Hill End as the concept for my jewellery designs.

Working off some quick sketches in my sketch book I made a marquette of the ring design using paper and string.

Fence ring marquette using paper and string

The ring is designed to be worn on two fingers, the ring and middle finger. It was important that this integrated with the design of the fence.

Fence ring made from copper

The first fence ring was made using copper. This was to make sure I could practice soldering the joins and make any tweaks to the design before committing to sterling silver.

Fence ring. Sterling silver. 11cm long  x 6cm high x 0.6cm deep