In Rose Vase, flowers and leaves become the structure of the vessel itself. Carved from Italian crystal alabaster, the broad, open form is surrounded by a floral border whose petals and stems connect across spaces cut through the stone.
I wanted to give these botanical forms some of the delicacy of living flowers. Thin petals allow light to reveal the alabaster’s texture, while the openings between them bring the background into the composition. The vessel changes with its surroundings, its pale carving becoming more clearly defined against shadow or softly luminous in stronger light.
Creating the openwork meant preserving fragile bridges of stone throughout the carving. The finished piece brings together my interest in floral sculpture and my desire to make light an active part of the artwork.