Millefleur
A group of works inspired by the backgrounds of medieval tapestries, the foregrounds of Renaissance paintings and the goldwork embroidery found on ecclesiastical robes and military uniforms. Each individual flower is modelled in jewellers putty using a combination of dental tools and surgical knives in a resemblance of stitched gold work threads and then cast in plaster before being shaped, gilded and shaded with inks to bring out the stitching. The piece is then assembled floating one flower above another using wooden spacers and layers of glass to create an illuminated constellation of ‘Goldwork’ wildflowers. Focusing in intricate detail on the earth whilst pointing to the Heavens.
Fragaria vesca, 2024
Carved basketweave oak framed diptych with a series of hand sculpted, cast and gilded wild strawberries and moths.
Height 73.8cm (29”)
Width 60cm (21”) 110cm in total
Depth 14cm (5”)
Fragaria Vesca meaning wild strawberry is a framed diptych adorned with hand-tooled, painted strawberries and moths that are cast and gilded before being arranged into a jewelled tangle. The individually crafted flowers, leaves and insects are sculpted to mimic the goldwork embroidery commonly found in church vestments, military costume and wall hangings. The edges of the frame have been carved to resemble a white cloth pressing against the gilded basketweave. Fragaria Vesca draws its inspiration from an embroidered handkerchief seen in an antiques shop many years ago that referenced Desdemona’s strawberry embroidered handkerchief from Shakespeare’s Othello.
NOCTURNUS, 2024
Diptych in oak with a series of hand-sculpted, cast and gilded gypsum flowers and roundels.
Height 73.8cm (29”)
Width 110cm (43”)
Depth 13.9cm (5”)
Nocturnus, meaning ‘of the night’ draws inspiration from small travelling altar pieces such as the Wilton Diptych in The National Gallery, London. An ornate silver box studded with stars and a web of planetary roundels opens to reveal a floating constellation of jewel like white gold flowers on a deep indigo ground.
The techniques used reference gold work embroidery found on ecclesiastical robes whist the Altarpiece as a form perfectly balances beauty and function, story telling and invention, art and craft, spirituality and practicality. For me it is the most exquisite box of delights. The ability to float between 2 and 3 dimensions and allude to a fourth is captivating. Designed to be viewed in flickering candlelight these works are suffused with magic and mystery.
Celestial navigation uses the stars to accurately determine ones position on earth and has been used by travellers throughout history. We now learn that every atom in our bodies contains elements that were created inside stars and that those atoms have made long journeys from those ancient stars to us. The box then becomes a metaphor for an inner journey in which we might be reminded of our common humanity and wonder that we are all made of stardust.
Hortus Conclusus, 2023
Triptych in oak with a series of hand-sculpted, cast and gilded gypsum flowers & roundels
Height 110cm (43 1/4")
Width 145.8cm (57 3/8")
Depth 7.5cm (3")
Hortus Conclusus, meaning ‘enclosed garden’, references the cloistered garden of early Renaissance master, Fra Angelico’s Annunciation (1430-32). The fascinating tapestry of jewel-like flowers and foliage that make up the groundwork of this painting, alongside millefleur tapestries and gold-worked borders of ecclesiastical robes, serve as inspiration for this travelling triptych decorated with a depiction of embroidered, gilded cloth and opening to reveal a wild constellation of floating golden flowers and foliage.
The techniques used reference gold work embroidery found on ecclesiastical robes whist the Altarpiece as a form perfectly balances beauty and function, story telling and invention, art and craft, spirituality and practicality. For me it is the most exquisite box of delights. The ability to float between 2 and 3 dimensions and allude to a fourth is captivating. Designed to be viewed in flickering candlelight these works are suffused with magic and mystery.
Hunters Moon, 2022
Carved, linen wrapped poplar panel with a series of sculpted, cast and gilded Carton Pierre flowers and insects assembled into a central full moon.
Height 198cm (78”)
Width 221cm (87”)
Depth 10cm (4”)
Hunters Moon, a large carved wall hanging, draws inspiration from the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries in the collection of the Musee de Cluny. Hunters Moon is adorned with hand-tooled flowers and insects that are cast and gilded before being arranged into a dense moon on a deep indigo linen wrapped panel. The individually crafted flowers, leaves and insects are sculpted to reference the goldwork embroidery commonly found in church vestments, military costume and wall hangings. The edges of the panel have been carved to resemble the folds of fabric. October's ‘Hunter's Moon’ was given its name because it was at this time when tribes gathered meat for the long winter ahead.
Float, 2018
Carved, linen wrapped poplar panel with a series of sculpted, cast and gilded Carton Pierre flowers and insects.
Height 109cm (42”)
Width 250cm (98 1/2”)
Depth 10cm (4”)
Float, a large carved wall hanging, draws inspiration from the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries in the collection of the Musee de Cluny. Float is adorned with hand-tooled flowers and insects that are cast and gilded before being arranged into a floating island on a deep indigo linen wrapped panel. The edges of the panel have been carved to resemble the folds of fabric. The title Float refers to the description of the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries in the notebooks of Malte Laurids Bridge by Rainer Maria Rilke. “…..See that blue, oval island in all of them, floating over the soft red background, which is filled with flowers and inhabited by small animals busy with their own activities.”
Spitalfields, 2017
A series of sculpted, cast and moon gilded gypsum composite flowers and insects on cotton covered aluminium shim. Oak frame.
Height 124cm (49”)
Width 194cm (76”)
Depth 9cm (3 1/2”)
Spitalfields takes its inspiration from moth collecting. A white sheet would be strung up in the garden on a summer night and illuminated by a strong light.. Quickly it would attract a blizzard of moths and insects, depicted here in moon gold amongst a swathe of gilded wild flowers. The title Spitalfields references an area of London known historically for its links with the silk weaving industry and is synonymous with artists and craftspeople. The individually crafted flowers, leaves and insects are sculpted to mimic the goldwork embroidery commonly found in church vestments, military costume and wall hangings.
Primavera, 2017
Triptych of sculpted, cast and gilded gypsum composite flowers and insects on linen covered panels. Oak frame.
Height 122cm (48”)
Width 244cm in total (96”)
Depth 4cm (1 1/2”)
Primavera meaning Spring, continues an exploration into Goldwork embroidery floating layers of cast, gilded flowers in 3 oak frames. The work reveals a fascination with dimensions; the flat backed flowers hovering between two and three dimensions whilst the invisible construction of the final floating layer hints at a fourth.
Book of Flowers, 2017
Diptych in oak with a series of hand-sculpted, cast and gilded gypsum flowers
Height 183cm (72”)
Width 259cm (102”)
Depth 5cm (2”)
Book of Flowers takes its inspiration from the Goldwork embroidery found on military uniforms and ecclesiastical robes and the pages of illuminated manuscripts. The cast gilded flowers are arranged across the diptych as in the pages of an open book. Book of Flowers references illuminated manuscripts and medieval Book of Hours.
Swathe, 2016
Carved, linen wrapped poplar panel with sculpted, cast and gilded gypsum composite flowers and insects assembled into a central full moon.
Height 198cm (78”)
Width 221cm (87”)
Depth 10cm (4”)
Swathe, a large carved wall hanging, draws inspiration from W.B Yeats poem ‘The cloths of Heaven’.
“Had I the heaven’s embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light.”
Swathe is adorned with hand-tooled flowers and insects that are cast and gilded in white gold leaf before being arranged into a dense moon on a deep indigo linen wrapped panel. The individually crafted flowers, leaves and insects are sculpted to mimic the goldwork embroidery commonly found in church vestments, military costume and wall hangings. The edges of the panel have been carved to resemble the folds of fabric. The word Swathe is often used in the context of both fabric and flowers.