I spend much of the the summer looking at plants with my botanist husband. Although my special interest is in ferns I find the structure of flowering plants of almost equal fascination!
Foxglove
I noticed the strong veining in the plant in our garden, and used it to make a mould. The pastel shades work best over a white background, while still revealing the detail of the leaf texture.
13 x 13 cm. Framed (20 x 20 cm)
£80 9890
Toadflax and Oats
While looking for barley and harebells, I found other plants in the Northumberland dunes, and tried this combination. I think it evokes late summer, when the Toadflax flowers.
13 x 13 cm. Framed (20 x 20 cm)
£80. 6555
Catkins and Forsythia
With a mild start to the winter, the hazel and forsythia bushes were flowering in January! A welcome splash of colour. The paler shades are shown over a white background.
13 x 13 cm. Framed (20 x 20 cm)
£80. 0331
Crab Apples
This was inspired by seeing a leafless tree still with a few ripe crab apples dangling, and shining in January sunshine. It was in the Coquet valley near Felton.
13 x 13 cm. Framed (20 x 20 cm)
£80. 6076
Autumn Hydrangea
Our garden hydrangea leaves go a stunning golden brown in the autumn, even with the flowers still out. The glass used for the petals looks purple in day light and LED light, but blue under fluorescent light. This is rather like how the bush itself produces different colours in different conditions.
13 x 13 cm. Framed (20 x 20 cm)
£80. 8731
Felton Leaves
Featuring the leaves of whitebeam, cherry and elm. Using glass allows the colours to shine out, and the areas of overlap to reveal both partners in the pattern. These leaves have strong veining that is picked up well in the moulding process. They are mounted over a mirror to reflect the light and accentuate the subtle tints.
13 x 13 cm. Framed (20 x 20 cm)
£80. 5390
Thrift
Inspired by the thrift growing on the rocks at Cullernose Point, Northumberland. The pink flowers seemed to be on different plane to the tight low foliage on the rocks which are underwater at really high tides. Glass lends itself to layered works, allowing them both to be seen and the combination appreciated.
13 x 13 cm. Framed (20 x 20 cm)
£80. 5488
Conifers
The strong textures of conifers lend themselves to the mould making process. Here Juniper, Spruce and Leylandii have been used . Displaying the glass in a Northumbrian rock allows lighting from behind to emphasise the textures.
37 x 28 cm. Rock mounted. £320. 2199
Autumn Leaves
From Felton, Northumberland . Leaves of cherry, ash and chestnut were used to make the mould. Using glass allows the colours to shine out, and the areas of overlap to reveal both partners in the pattern. These leaves have strong veining that is picked up well in the moulding process.
29 x 29 cm. Framed (50 x 50 cm)
£360. 2071
Weeds in Autumn
Bristly oxtongue, buddlia and lycestria leaves all have strong textures in the veining on their undersides. These have been overlapped to get a mosaic effect. They are all weeds in my Northumberland garden! Strong autumnal colours have been used, and are best seen lit from behind. The glass is mounted in a Northumberland rock.
15 x 15 cm. Rock mounted. £80. 5111
Savoy Cabbage
What a great texture! It just had to be tried….glass wise as well as for dinner! Not, I confess from the garden, but there are good greengrocers in Northumberland. The colours emphasise the veining patterns in the leaf.
15 x 15 cm. Rock mounted. £80. 6100
Grass of Parnassus
This stunning flower is not a grass, but it is found in various undisturbed spots around the county, including many on Holy Island. I have tried to show the various floral parts at two levels to do justice to the delicacy and complexity of the natural form.
15 x 15 cm. Framed (20 x 20 cm). £120. 9009
Thrift at Cullernose
Inspired by the thrift growing on the rocks at Cullernose Point, Northumberland. The pink flowers seemed to be on different plane to the tight low foliage on the rocks. Glass lends itself to layered works, allowing them both to be seen and the combination appreciated.
15 x 15 cm. Framed (20 x 20 cm). £80. 8707
Bark
I took sheets of rolled clay out to a wooded area in Felton, Northumberland and took prints of the bark for the mould. Light behind the glass reveals the texture through the colours. It is best displayed on a windowsill.
15 x 15 cm. Rock mounted. £80. 7613
Weed Leaves in Pastel Shades
Bristly oxtongue, buddlia and lycestra leaves all have strong textures in the veining on their undersides. These have been overlapped to get a mosaic effect. They are all weeds in my Northumberland garden! Pale pastel colours have been used, and are best seen against a white background.
14cm x 14cm. Board mounted (30cm x 30 cm) £80. 3338
Felton Leaves. Pastel
Leaves of whitebeam, cherry and elm were pressed into clay and used to make a mould. Using glass allows the colours to shine out, and the areas of overlap to reveal both partners in the pattern. These leaves have strong veining that is picked up well in the moulding process. They are mounted over a mirror to reflect the light and accentuate the subtle tints.
14cm x 14cm. Board mounted (30cm x 30 cm) £80. 7755
Hedgerow at Cullernose
Leaves of cranesbills, yarrow and
grasses from Cullernose, Northumberland were pressed into clay and used to make a mould. Using glass allows the colours to shine out, and the areas of overlap to reveal both partners in the pattern. These leaves have strong veining that is picked up well in the moulding process.
14cm x 14cm. Board mounted (30cm x 30 cm) £80 6633
Barley with Harebells
I saw harebells growing in a barley field in County Antrim, and wanted to recreate this. I used plants from the Northumberland dunes.
14cm x 14cm. Framed (30cm x 30 cm) £80. 4440
Foxglove in Autumn
I noticed the strong veining in the plant in our garden, and used it to make a mould. The deep autumnal shades work best over a mirror background, while still revealing the detail of the leaf texture.
14cm x 14cm. Board mounted (30cm x 30 cm) £80 6660
Daffodils and Pussy Willow
The subtle silver of the pussy willow catkins seems best represented by just the texture in colourless glass. This contrasts with the unsubtle colours of the daffodils!
29 x 29 cm Framed (50 x 50 cm).
£320. 9843
Barley with Harebells Large
I saw harebells growing in a barley field in County Antrim, and wanted to recreate this using two separated layers of glass to create depth. I used plants from the Northumberland dunes.
30cm x 40cm. Board mounted (40cm x 60 cm) £360. 7621