Getting Amongst It

I’m not one leap into unknown realms. Actually, that’s untrue, I will leap... but I’ll be clutching a damned good plan.
I am currently working toward a solo show at 19 Karen on the Gold Coast. (September 26 - November 14). The paintings are pretty much in the bag: many are complete, some are still in my head waiting to get to the easel. I'm on target. 

OK, so works on walls are great. I’m a painter, paintings go on walls, tick. But there’s something missing… and that’s when I realise, I want something on a plinth! NO, WAIT! I want things on MANY plinths!! It’s not every day a solo show comes along and I want to create a world, not just a wall.

Small problem: I'm not a sculptor.

The idea is for my 2D works to come alive in a 3D world. My Wallflowers will stop hanging on the edges. It's time for them to step into the room and get in amongst it.

Flower Girls are art vases which will be watertight to hold beautiful, freshly cut voluminous bunches of flowers.
It’s been a push, and there have been countless times during this process I thought the whole thing would fail, but I'm actually getting there. And it's pretty exciting. So here are some photos of where I’m at. Right now it's looking like a very pink mummified birthday cake.
I have a long way to go, which is kind of daunting since the show is only 8 weeks away. But if you don't push yourself, how will you ever know what you're capable of?

Maquette for my Flower Girl

First Steps: Building the original from clay using the coil method. Thanks to Nola from Brookvale Ceramics for your patience!

Here is the basic shape of the vessel. It is now ready for me to cast a mold.

Making the silicone mold and adding the keys. Looks like a a sweetly iced straight jacket... next stage: fibreglass casing, stay tuned!