Winter LandsCape

Winter LandsCape, 50”W x 11”H x 9”D

This is a better photo than one previously published. Jutting out from the wall, I constructed this shelf-like piece in wattle and daub fashion. First I lashed willow twigs into a rough plane with the curve I was seeking. I was thinking about the shape of a heroine's cape billowing behind her as she flies through the air. Over this willow structure, I applied a white clay/fiber mixture. Next, I pressed on a thick layer of brown clay/fiber. At one point, the entire piece became very heavy. Although it would be lighter when dry, I still worried it would be too heavy to hang on the wall. So I started to pull fibers out of the center. The outside of the form had dried enough to retain it's shape. As I pulled out the goopy and gooey center fibers, I intuitively formed holes in the side. Unconsciously, I was thinking about sparrow holes in the sandstone cliff next the falls at Willow River State Park. One hot summer day, I had made a mental note to include those holes in a sculpture. The bottom layer of this piece is a recycled piece of ramie fibers dyed blue for a different sculpture. Ramie fibers are white, fine, and shiny.