Gathering

July 7-23 2023

I struggled with the right descriptions for these installations, but settled on calling them ‘Gatherings’.

They are not holy vestiges ( shrines) or piles of conical stones ( cairns); and while the  word assemblage seemed to pretentious, the meaning a collection of exquisite memorable, small pieces of art pieces and natural finds was so appropriate.

My first influence was from the wayside shrines often found in the French countryside, but these  (shrines ) were predominantly religious  and despite the crosses that I often use in my work (which has no sacred meaning to me).  I was more intrigued and influenced by any found or made objects that resonated with me from a purely aesthetic vision. Again, as always I was influenced by the juxtaposition of gathering anything that fascinated me and the combination of hard and soft textures. The concrete and seagrass form, the natural delicate feathers, shells, small pieces of bark, leaves and floral embellishments; translucent images, small clay and metal adornments. Anything and everything that resonated with me, that made me gasp in awe, that made me deferential and humbled by the beauty of nature …a religion in itself