Here is another suggestion from our staff for interpreting one of the recent member design titles. Bonnie (our online co-ordinator) worked with Kim (our founder and resident competition tragic) to bring this design to you.
Kim’s Comments: I had some pieces that I had used in a recent overseas competition and wanted to re-use them as they seemed to fit this title really well. In addition, I have not used the wire mesh very much so hoped to experiment a little in the interpretation of this design. My initial idea was to have geometric shapes made from the mesh that would then have plant material either woven through them or inserted in them. Then I had to convince Bonnie of my idea………
Bonnie’s Comments: It’s a bit scary working on a design with the boss. How can you say if you aren’t comfortable with the design ideas? I just went for broke and said I thought it was too much, too fussy to have so many shapes from wire in a design. Couldn’t we use just a few and have other plant material reflect those geometric shapes?
So out of a bit of discussion, the design evolved into what you see. A wire mesh rectangular base with Kim’s black painted timber triangles, highlighted by the different fill (sisal, moss and coconut fibre), some gymea lily stalks and bent wheat stalks to finish off.
We are both happy with the result – a good collaboration of ideas, placements, choice of plant material and techniques.
Judges Comments: Definitely geometric and quite harmonious. The repetition of triangles in contrasting dark and light (black timber and wheat) adds to the impact as does the simple placements of the gymea stalks. The design could have been enhanced by a single pink round shaped flower (gerbera or carnation) about half way in the wire box and directly under the pink sisal. This would give some point of interest to that side of the design as well as repeat the circular shape of the gymea stalks.
