Skimmer

Brass Skimmer

Rice Paper

This is probably the most minimal artwork that I've ever made. I saw the skimmer in an Asian supermarket and felt an urge to buy one and admire its beauty. I had also picked up some rice paper, and so cut it into strips and soaked them in water prior to then laying them over the dome of the skimmer, ensuring that they neatly cover the surface. When it was dry I carefully removed the cast from the mould. I hung the skimmer on wall and then balanced the rice paper on the wire skimmer part. Over time the rice paper moulded itself around the skimmer, and as it dried out it began to crack.

Here it is in stages

Translucent rice paper

I am wary about using the same material too often, and wanted to find a replacement for the seaweed that I used along with the skimmer to form a bowl-like shape which balances inside the skimmer from which it takes its shape.

                                                                                                         
The rice paper is an interesting alternative to the seaweed. The transparency allows the intricate gold mesh to be partially seen through the 'bowl', and its muted colour goes well with the neutral browns, cream cloth and natural colour of the lining paper.

New finds! Brass Skimmer and Lotus Leaves

I came across a curious object the other day and was immediately drawn to its shape. I had been thinking about trying to use seaweed like a papier mache substance and decided to cast the shape of the brass skimmer.

This was then balanced in side the hanging object.

Another fascinating material discovery is the lotus leaf. I'm not quite sure what to do with them, but they have the most amazing vein structure and it is a material i want to experiment with more.