Nurture/Nurture, 2016
wool yarn, soil, seeds, sticks, hemp twine
These pieces are a renewed approach to a previous (failed) work from 2014, in which I felted hollow, round, gray objects that resembled fuzzy rocks, and filled them with pete moss, soil, and crocus bulbs. I placed them around my hometown in the autumn, in hopes that the "rocks" would disintegrate and the crocuses would bloom through the snow-covered ground (they did not). Many of them did the opposite of grow and flourish: they disintegrated and disappeared.
With these new pieces I take a more nurturing approach, actually cultivating them rather than abandoning them. Instead of the cold lifeless “rocks” of my previous work, I envision these pieces as eggs or wombs, embracing, protecting, and nurturing the nascent life within. I sowed the soil with poppy, alyssum, and azalea seeds. Rather than felting, I crocheted the objects so they would be more porous, allowing the seedlings to sprout. I am drawn to the plant's natural ability to grow and change, but I am also interested in their ability to die. I am especially drawn to creating works that have a limited lifespan, like us. Also, like us, these pieces will change over the course of time; the colour and texture will change, the wool may fray, and, eventually, they will give way to vibrant, lively blooms.
These pieces are a renewed approach to a previous (failed) work from 2014, in which I felted hollow, round, gray objects that resembled fuzzy rocks, and filled them with pete moss, soil, and crocus bulbs. I placed them around my hometown in the autumn, in hopes that the "rocks" would disintegrate and the crocuses would bloom through the snow-covered ground (they did not). Many of them did the opposite of grow and flourish: they disintegrated and disappeared.
With these new pieces I take a more nurturing approach, actually cultivating them rather than abandoning them. Instead of the cold lifeless “rocks” of my previous work, I envision these pieces as eggs or wombs, embracing, protecting, and nurturing the nascent life within. I sowed the soil with poppy, alyssum, and azalea seeds. Rather than felting, I crocheted the objects so they would be more porous, allowing the seedlings to sprout. I am drawn to the plant's natural ability to grow and change, but I am also interested in their ability to die. I am especially drawn to creating works that have a limited lifespan, like us. Also, like us, these pieces will change over the course of time; the colour and texture will change, the wool may fray, and, eventually, they will give way to vibrant, lively blooms.
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