This design received a Commendation from the judges. It was a difficult class to design as many members noted with their entries.
Construction notes from the competitor:
“Use plant material in an unusual way…
1) I’m not going to mutilate flowers but leaves I can manage. So cut small pieces of wet floral foam and covered with Autumn coloured leaves from the ‘ bleeding heart tree’. Secured with pins. Also made a flower shape and inserted 2 of the stems into the center for stamens. Painted stamens black.
2) Reused a board from previous entry. Cut the cork base into straight lines instead of the previous curve. Painted black for nasty cold winter. Stuck yellow cotton in lines for texture and Autumn colours. Glued a cork shape to thick cardboard and glued between the black and yellow areas. Glued bright green and white striped straws to the raised cork section. Glued some cane sections at right angles to the straws. This section represents the brightness of summer and the need to drink lots of cold liquids. Glued moss to the remaining uncovered background and moistened. Placed the flower made of leaves into the moss with pins.Glued cylinders made from gerbera stems into the moss to represent the first green of Spring struggling through the mulch. Glued and pinned leaf parcels into the yellow section. Made holes in the cork and inserted 3 dried Billy Buttons to bring the yellow into the bottom section.”
Judges Comments:
Well presented abstract collage. Gives a feeling of the contrasts of the seasons with definite abstract elements of plant material.
The green in the straws is more dominant than it should be. Perhaps using another bright colour would stop my eyes from being drawn to this first. Alternatively a black line (black painted bamboo or skewers) running vertically between the two coloured sections would provide more impact for this design.