Past Projects
Architectural Ceramic Installation (2011)
The vision of this family commission was 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 were 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 wet so the family members could add to the tree. Molly pictured in the lower left picture, 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 to mould and carve out various creatures. She also contributed a beautiful butterfly to the tree trunk. Rob, the Father 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!
Molly made the dragonflyHanna made the butterflyNick & Aiden made the Frog & Gecko
State of Project
The Arbutus Tree moved upstairs to the living in the end and was mounted on a beautiful cherry and baltic birch frame created by Ken Lunn. A french cleat was used to hang it from the wall. See the architectural ceramics page for a view of the whole tree prior to installation on the wood frame and wall.