Organic Forms - Unit 1 - AS level

Sim·ple - Easily understood or done; presenting no difficulty.

A·ppear·ance - 1. The way that someone looks at something

               2. An impression given by someone or something, although this may 

                  be misleading.

Shape - 1. The external form or appearance of something or someone

        2. Give a particular shape or form to.

Introduction to Organic Forms

Peter Randall-Page

'Seed'

The 'Seed' is a seed like granite sculpture carved with a complex pattern, which is based upon the geometric and mathematical principles, which underlie plant growth. The subject matter is significant because Peter Randall-Page an organic, he loved how nature came in kinds of patterns and how the patterns can be rationalized mathematically in terms of the golden angle and the Fibonacci sequence. Peter Randall-{age was trying to explore the relationship between humans and nature, by making the seed on a huge scale, to shoe the importance of nature, so it is a deliberate exaggeration of a seed. The 'Seed' shows the passion the Peter Randall-Page has towards the natural world and his personal feelings towards humans neglecting nature. I feel the subject matter is easily read as it is very obvious and very striking, by its size and its title, people can with out doubt tell what the subject matter is.

The seed is in the middle of a chamber, there are surreal dimensions of the 'Seed' as it occupy's the space and coming to within 250cm's of the walls of the chamber. Randall-Page wanted to separate this inner sanctum from the outside to give the chamber a calm and contemplative quality. The 'Seed' is lit with natural daylight so when the weather changes and seasons change it will play across the sculpture and change throughout the year. The chamber and 'seed' is white to give a tranquil feel in the installation, there is no colour in the work, this shows how basic nature is, yet complex with pattern on the 'seed'. The chamber and 'Seed' works together as the seed sits inside of the chamber and the chamber curves round the seed as if it was in a pod. The small spheres cover the 'Seed' in spirals, in an intricate pattern to give the 'Seed' an interesting texture. I find the work pleasing to the eye, as the pattern is satisfying to look at and the chamber would enclose the audience in the seeds world. 

The 'Seed' is made from 167-tonne block of granite into a giant ovoid, the 1800 carved nodes in Fibonacci spirals, represent the extraordinary growth pattern found across the natural world in sunflowers, pine cones and daisies. The seed took 4 years to make and was lowered by a crane through the roof of the Eden Project's education building, to sit within the bell-shaped chamber specifically designed and built to receive it. The making of the 'Seed' involved a lot of effort as they had to lift the block of granite from the cornish quarry. Many people had to be involved in the realization of the project from the quarrymen to the mathematicians. Peter Randall-Page found the most challenging part of the making of the 'Seed' was the process was plotting the Fibonacci pattern of nearly 2000 circles, A great deal of precision had gone into achieving the overall form and plotting the complex pattern on the surface. Peter Randall-Page made sketches of his first ideas then moved onto making miniature models of the 'seed' until 
he found the perfect version of it.

The work made me feel relaxed and tranquil, but I found it did not make me connect with nature how he wanted it to do. the artwork is fresh, crisp and clean.

My own interpretation of the 'Seed' - Acrylic paint 

My representation of 'Speaking in Tongues' by Peter Randall-Page

My enlarged version of 'Speaking in Tongues' by Peter Randall-Page 

Kate Malone

'Baby Lady Garlic Bud Pot'

Kate Malone's ceramic pot is inspired by fruit and nature. The subject matter of nature is evident in the shapes, textures and colours of the pot. I feel Malones's work shows the beauty of nature and how interesting it is and allows people to understand how passionate she is about the natural world, The work was observed directly from fruit but she changes shapes and colours around to make the work more appealing. The work is bigger than the real thing to exaggerate the colours and shapes. I believe the subject matter is very easily read and there is no hidden messages behind it.

'Baby Lady Garlic Bud Pot' is a single ceramic pot, with two sections, the bottom half of the pot is golden yellow spikes and the top half being turquoise and smooth. These two colours are very warm and inviting, to emphasis the beauty of nature. The spiky shapes aren't harsh looking but thick and curved, so it isn't unwelcoming. The spikes are not random, they are in a simple pattern to show the unfussiness of nature. I find this work slighly unsatisfactory as it is a bit too simple, as I believe underneath the simplicity of nature, it is very complex.

Malone uses ceramics pots to make her piece of fruit because 'both are containers in a sense. A pineapple holds juice, an apple holds seeds and they are both containers of possibilities and symbols of regeneration and i believe an empty pot has the sam symbolic value'. 'Baby Lady Garlic Bud Pot' is a coiled pot and is very simply made. To make it she uses a turn table, a hack saw blade, a few wooden tools and her fingers. She then glazed the piece. Before doing this she would sketch out designs and make prototypes. 

This piece of work creates a warm and welcoming mood, it causes natures to looks harmless and pleasant and this is exactly how Kate Malone wanted it to come across.

My interpretation of Kate Malone's work 

Ink and water colour 

Chalk

Interpretation of Kate Malone's work
Oil painting of her work, Collage, Acrylic painting of her work

Oil pastels of her work, and acrylic painted background

My own take on William Morris. Lino print on water-coloured paper. Scrunched up tissue paper which has also been printed on at the bottom.

Interpretation on William Morris - Two stripes are done by felt tip pens.

Blue and golden painting done by water colours, with a collage of William Morris's work behind.

Preparation for my final piece, took inspiration from Peter Randall-Page. On the left is my own version of his work and I ended up making a clay version of it, unfortunately I don't have a record of it.