A few weeks ago, whilst wandering back through Wytham Woods, I came across a piece of artwork suspended among the trees. Composed of rattan balls, it reminded me of the game takraw, which one of my Thai cousins used to play barefoot. The work is designed by the artist Hermeet Gill and called ‘Beneath the Surface’, commissioned as part of the Indirect Signs of Presence programme. The spheres, which represent pollen grains, were woven by basketmaker Greet Blom, Andy Goodwin and Charlotte Holmes of the Basketmakers’ Association.
As I looked up I was struck by the sense of depth – cells in 3-dimensional space extending into the sky. I took a quick snap and filed it away, not thinking much about it, but as Christmas approached I recalled the spheres and they reminded me of baubles. The colours in my photo were predominantly dark, so I experimented by taking a negative. The trees and shadows inverted to near white, conveying the sense of snowy borders. For a festive touch I just added a little decorative colour (variously hued transparent discs).
A nature-inspired Happy Christmas!
