Monday 26 March 2012

Books in the Garden

A few years ago - in 2005, I made this artwork called Botanical Books, inspired by the plants I see in my garden every day, so many of them looking like little book structures. One of them was a Kalanchoe Flapjacks I was admiring this morning looking plump and happy with all the rain we've had. The Kalanchoe is in the artwork and at the time it was single - now it has multiplied to dozens.

The little book sculptures were made from a few different kinds of vellum, mainly calfskin, and were all sewn in a binding style I was able to name, along with the name of the plant in the accompanying little concertina. The illustrations were drawn from the live flowers onto a perspex plate and then rubbings in brown pencil were taken - they reminded me of soft chalk drawings. The piece was selected and exhibited in The Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize at the South Australian Museum in 2006.

9 comments:

dinahmow said...

Beautiful. I see stories in these...

Janine Whitling said...

gorgeous little collection Helen :-)

ronnie said...

fabulhoot

Vicki said...

Very beautiful Helen, I do have a penchant for the science, specimen approach.

Amanda said...

This looks like a very special piece. Outstanding!

Helen M said...

Thank you Di, Janine, Ronnie, Vicki and Amanda. Of all the pieces I've made, this one remains one of my favourites!

Aine Scannell said...

Helen I was pleased to receive your artists book this morning - it's so beautifully finished - I wish I had your obvious technical talent. It must have taken ages to work this all out.

AND you have completed your edition so early..... wow !!!

best wishes

Aine

p.s. This piece in the post is awesome !!!!!!!

Velma Bolyard said...

WOW!!! don't know how i've missed this until this morning, but i am stunned by this work. wonderful. just like a museum case, i want to open and carefully explore, oh, this is such a treat to see before my work day begins! thanks!

Helen M said...

Thank you for your kind words Velma, and how lovely to get a comment on an older post!