Description of work: Using self taught methods, plaster of paris was poured into an 1800s German antique chocolate mold to create a three dimensional canvas for my design.
I have recently relocated to the Fruit Ridge area of Grand Rapids after living in Boston for 20 years. My Art Prize entry takes inspiration from the apple orchards surrounding my home. My entry pays homage to the importance of the apple tree to the livelihood of the citizens of western Michigan.
To create my Art Prize design I selected an antique chocolate mold in the shape of a European Belsnickle Santa holding an apple bag. Once poured with plaster, his coat creates the canvas for my design which represents the apple tree as the "Tree of Life".
The "Tree of Life" design has been an important design in nearly all cultures and symbolizes the connection between heaven and earth, strength and longevity, beauty and protection and interconnectedness of all life. |