earth and water and the centre of the universe 

This cast paper series playfully explores and celebrates the elemental nature of the creative process and its close connection with the body. The elements (earth and water) and the body are expressed as parallel sources of creative power. Organic patterns, incremental growth and fluid rhythms mimic nature - the original creative process. In these works, the body is represented by the belly - a simple, sensual form and a physical, creative and intuitive centre.

earth bellies: A corn seed planted in the navel of a paper belly represents an ancient symbol of fertility and creativity. And just as one planted corn seed has the potential to produce many, many more, each step in the creative process potentially leads to another and another step in that process. In earth bellies 7 ~ garden, earthworms symbolically engage in their own creative process of aerating and enriching the soil as they whimsically inch their way across the cast paper earth belly mounds.

water bellies: Changeable, unpredictable and infinitely varied, water is an element that effectively represents the emotional, creative force. The water content of the body is almost the same as the percentage of water covering this planet: we're almost two thirds water!

Cast paper has been chosen for its sensual and skin-like qualities. The handmade paper form has been hand cast by pressing wet cotton pulp onto a plaster mould. The wet paper is then dried for about a week by continuously reapplying layers of water-absorbing wool blankets weighted by sandbags. When completely dry, the paper castings can then be drawn and painted on as well as cut into patterns and assembled in a variety of ways. Like earth, water and the human body, cast paper is fragile yet amazingly durable and resilient.

Each sculptural relief has been framed in either a shadow box or a plexi box.