SI #3

Artist's Statement:

The idea behind this piece came from a poem my sister wrote about a willow tree. There were fish in it. So when I was messing around with the willow brances and I saw a fish in the fractals, I decided to go for it. The idea of the fish is that it is flexible, and quick moving, like the willow tree. I also thought that a fish would make a good home decor ornament, and I wanted this piece to be decorative.

I chose to work with willow because it is a very flexible material. I thought that I would pair nicely with the idea of a fish, and have it all be a kind of metaphor for thought. I also chose to use wire because I wanted to incorporate some element of harshness. I chose wire because I thought of fishing. I decided to strip the willow branches because I thought that gave it a more unnatural look.

This project changed a lot over time. Originally I thought that I would carve wooden spikes. Then I thought that I might do a couple of intersecting wreaths to make an astrolabe. I finally decided on the fish, because that was the shape that I saw in the twisting wood. I'm glad I chose the fish, because it gave me to opportunity to create something whimsical.