Past Projects
Architectural Ceramic Installation (April 2009)
The vision of this family commission is to create something aesthetically pleasing behind the woodstove in the family room running up the wall spreading gently across the top of the wall just below the ceiling. After bouncing around some ideas we decided on an arbutus tree. Salt Spring Island is full of arbutus trees so the subject matter is local. We also explored ways the children can be involved in the project.
Here are some of the tree photographs taken by the artist and family which are being used in the sculptural and painting process of the installation.
Arbutus tree on the
family’s propertyDetail of an Arbutus treeImage was used to get
colours of berries & leaves
family’s propertyDetail of an Arbutus treeImage was used to get
colours of berries & leaves
We had a family session while the clay was still in the green phase so the family members could add to the tree. Molly picture to the left made two wonderful dragonflies on a limb. The boys Nick and Aiden worked out spots for geckos, slugs, snakes and dragonflies while Hanna in another area of the studio helped mould and cut out the various creatures and contributed a beautiful butterfly to the tree trunk. Dad made a gecko changing its colours from green to brown.
Molly, Nick & Aiden
working on the treeHanna at the slab roller
cutting out creaturesDad joins in to consult on
placementWorking out the gecko/
dragonfly war positions!
working on the treeHanna at the slab roller
cutting out creaturesDad joins in to consult on
placementWorking out the gecko/
dragonfly war positions!
Current State of Project
Here are some of the pieces of the tree which have been painted with underglazes and an overglaze and fired. Tracy is currently working on the leaves the family has made and some lovely little berries for the tree. In each of these pieces of the tree – the children were given moulds to make the creatures from and Tracy painted them which helps maintain the overall aesthetic of the piece while facilitating exciting family involvement in the work of art.
Molly made the dragonflyHanna made the butterflyNick & Aiden made the Frog & Gecko