Hi. My name is Jenny and I am a pod person.
No! Not THAT kind... this kind:
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| Mystery pods from my collection, including the essential acorn and something cypress. |
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| Eucalyptus, lotus, magnolia, Something from San Diego, milkweed. My personal collection... |
Its no secret that I find continual inspiration in Nature. Both the world around me, the turn of the seasons, the tiniest details. I have been in love with pods, leaves, fronds... as long as I can remember. ( And comparable water treasures: shells, seaweed etc.)
I discovered the work of Karl Blossfeldt in my college years. He was a German photographer, sculptor, teacher, and artist who worked in Berlin, Germany. He is best known for his close-up photographs of plants and living things, published in 1929 as, Urformen der Kunst. He was inspired, as was his father, by nature and the way in which plants grow. He believed that 'the plant must be valued as a totally artistic and architectural structure.' (Thanks Wiki)
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| Image credit: Soul Catcher Studio |
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| Medley of images from ASX |
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| Very early piece of mine. Stoneware, maybe mid 90's. Influence seems obvious. |
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| Sculptural pods. A variety of finishes: smoke fired, glazed, reduction fired... All are handheld. |
In the cyclical nature of things, I feel like making pods again. But I am in a different place now, and want to make small pods. Wearable pods, one of a kind carved pods, rustic stoneware pods...
(This is where I am supposed to show you the pods I am sculpting. Oops. They are all still in my head. I tease you with all the pretty pictures, but I have been immersed in teaching clay camp and not in sculpting mode lately. Stay tuned!)
So I will grow these plans, nurture this idea - and hope to harvest the pods in time for Beadfest. (Too many plant metaphors?) Off to the studio with me...
What is your favorite "old is new again" inspiration? What motif do you return to, time and time again? Talk to me!
Jenny
www.jdaviesreazor.com
Blossfeldt books on Amazon: Many are reasonable priced and a treasure trove of beauty, awe, inspiration!
I am drawn to ocean-beach motifs.
ReplyDeleteOh! Me too! Coral, seaweed, kelp... I have a pile of dried seaweed I want to encase in resin...
DeleteI love pods too. Inordinately. I also recently discovered I love oriental poppy heads. I also like tulip and calla lily shapes and keep wanting to make metal ones. I like the idea of the strands of a necklace or bracelet "sprouting" from a bud-like form. It's sort of Art Nouveau I guess, which is a genre I LOVE.
ReplyDeleteArt Nouveau FOR THE WIN!
DeleteI love pods too...can't wait to see where yours go this cycle! I think I always circle around to spirals in some aspect.
ReplyDeleteJennifer, you are a riot. I always read the full daily post at AJE, but your one-liner 'pod confession' totally made me want to see where you would take us! :). Very cool pods!..both real and created!
ReplyDeleteThanks Carol. I try! :P
DeleteA couple of weeks ago I tried imprinting one of my eucalyptus pods in clay (I have a pod collection too). It didn't turn out very well, but that's because I'm a novice. I have lots more pods to try as I become more experienced. Pod-sitively looking forward to seeing your pods!
ReplyDelete