This year’s entry in Driftwood and Sand, the annual beach sculpture event on Hokitika beach.
I came across some of roots and/or vines while walking on the beach prior to the event and immediately saw the potential for random weaving. I did a trial sphere over a beach ball which I deflated to remove when the sphere was finished. I was pleased with the result and then discovered a huge pile of similar material. So I began a few days of weaving spheres at home. I was not quite sure what I would do with them but had several ideas in my head.
The next stage was to find some larger driftwood to provide a hanging structure. I collected a few interesting pieces but it wasn’t until I got to the beach and began installing the spheres that the final sculpture ‘Exponential Growth” evolved. As a mathematics teacher in a previous life, I am always fascinated by patterns and I have often been frustrated in the covid era about the lack of understanding by the general public on what exponential growth is. So here was my chance to show it with my woven spheres – 1, 2, 4, 8 – I didn’t have enough material to create 16 spheres!
As usual, I love creating on the beach, watching people view the work, and talking to them about it.
I was delighted to receive the Public Choice award this year for the first time.
Thanks to the Driftwood and Sand organisers for putting on this event, and to the sponsors of my prize Nikau Lodge, Punakaiki for a night’s accommodation and Punakaiki Kayaks for a morning kayaking with my husband on the Porarari River and Cuffs Accountancy for some cash.