Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden

As a result of an invitation to submit a proposal for the Hannah Peschar Sculpture Exhibition, 2022, I reverted to review books I had read previously; ‘Finding The Mother Tree’ and ‘The Hidden Life Of Trees’ because my greatest impression of this garden was the mysticism and beauty created from its abundance of woodland. I later went on to read ‘Entangled Life’, by Merlin Sheldrake. All these books delved into the extraordinary role of fungi within the forest system leaving me inspired to demonstrate their unity, connectivity and intereliance within my work. 

I focused on producing a work that would link together particular adjacent trees in the garden, to visually demonstrate the complexities of their mycorrhizal system. Initially my idea was framed around a mixed media piece that threaded across the woodland floor which would incorporate seating, allowing participation and personal connectivity. This initial idea stagnated as there were time and production limitations. I had an overriding aim to create a modular piece, to allow for both flexibility of installation in multiple settings and keep the sites preservation. Refer to Paul Vanstone’s research file for decision discussion on form for this setting. In addition, with water being present in the garden I took further inspiration from rippling water as it seemed fitting and location relevant. Water ripples represent the transfer of energy over a viable distance in a mesmerising repetitive way. Water is also a substance deeply important conduit for the wood wide web. Water’s circular waves have in addition a visual commonality with the circular growth rings within a trees trunk.

Material Research - Clay

Initially glass was my material of choice for this installation due to its enigmatic properties. I planned to illuminate the glass-work at night to further symbolise the life and energy within the soils mycorrhizal network. The garden was accessible only to visitors during the day hence, this idea has been put on hold.

The Roman Kiln found in Homerfield Quarry, Suffolk 2021 used local clays. My use of Stoneware Clay, a raw material that has connectivity to the earth played perfectly into this work, with the ability to achieve vibrant colour with glaze. I liked the idea of connectivity of process to my locality and ancestry. I found a richness in this thought.

Richard Deacon

Having previously investigated Deacon’s practice in Unit 7, I was aware of his large scale ceramic works and for this Unit thought it necessary to expand my understanding of how Deacon pushed this materials potential. This return in my engagement pushed confidence in development and production of 36 individual glazed ceramic components, to help represent the expansive nature of the mycorrhizal networks.

Ray Silverman

This Hannah Peschar Garden project was underway when I attended a lecture by Ray Silverman, May 2022. I held and experienced the sensuality and tactility of ‘Porcelain Bottle’, shown below. The lecture content was perfectly timed, as I was developing ideas of potential glaze textures and colour. Surface finish has previously been predetermined in my work because of its specificity to the material choice eg, charcoal. With clay, I now found myself giving surface choice equal consideration to form.