The Tardigrade are a group of three vases in large, medium and small. Its shape and form was inspired by the longest living creature on earth, the tardigrade (aka water bear). I was intrigued by the leather like skin and when it moves, its large, round body contorts, crinkling its thick skin and shape shifts.
Making of this shape was a test of the limits of the materials I have chosen to use, leather and clay. While the leather like skin and movements can be easily replicated in leather, I was intrigued to immortalise this form in clay yet still project movement. Having brought clay into my decade long leather practice in the past two years, as I was intrigued by the opposition of these materials and determined to find a way to marry these two materials in a seamless way.
The form was originally made in leather, a material I have worked with for the past decade and have a good understanding of its properties. Leather was attached to two dome shapes on either end. The leather was then filled with stuffed to give it form. This was then twisted and squashed to further manipulate the form, and give it dynamism. To immortalise the form, a plaster mould was made to create slip cast vases. To accentuate the dips and depths of the folds made by the twisted leather, a shiny glaze was use to highlight these folds.
Large size: 16cm x 16cm x 35cm
Medium size: 14cm x 14cm x 25cm
Small: 10cm x 10cm x 17cm
Material: Earthenware, glaze
Note: These pieces are slip cast. They will take up to 4 weeks to be made and delivered.
The Tardigrade are a group of three vases in large, medium and small. Its shape and form was inspired by the longest living creature on earth, the tardigrade (aka water bear). I was intrigued by the leather like skin and when it moves, its large, round body contorts, crinkling its thick skin and shape shifts.
Making of this shape was a test of the limits of the materials I have chosen to use, leather and clay. While the leather like skin and movements can be easily replicated in leather, I was intrigued to immortalise this form in clay yet still project movement. Having brought clay into my decade long leather practice in the past two years, as I was intrigued by the opposition of these materials and determined to find a way to marry these two materials in a seamless way.
The form was originally made in leather, a material I have worked with for the past decade and have a good understanding of its properties. Leather was attached to two dome shapes on either end. The leather was then filled with stuffed to give it form. This was then twisted and squashed to further manipulate the form, and give it dynamism. To immortalise the form, a plaster mould was made to create slip cast vases. To accentuate the dips and depths of the folds made by the twisted leather, a shiny glaze was use to highlight these folds.
Large size: 16cm x 16cm x 35cm
Medium size: 14cm x 14cm x 25cm
Small: 10cm x 10cm x 17cm
Material: Earthenware, glaze
Note: These pieces are slip cast. They will take up to 4 weeks to be made and delivered.