Pea Pods

     “Nature, particularly the botanical world, and my time spent photographing it is what inspires my work most.  I seek to evoke the feel of nature and its growth and movement, and am always looking to frame an interesting view.

     “I try to exert only minimal control over my artwork in the process of making it.  This is always a challenge because working in metal often requires and accepts great precision.  But nature follows the path of least resistance so I try to do the same. In this piece, the peas are loose because I prefer for gravity and chance to decide precisely how they should be positioned inside their shell.

     “Likewise, the nicks in the pod shells are from my hammer blows over the anvil. I keep these scars visible because they show the history of the piece and tell the story of its construction.

     “If you pick up one of these pea pods, you can feel and hear the peas rattle about. They almost, but not quite, fall out of their shell. This is intentional because if encourages playfulness and for the viewer to enojoy the feel, the balance and the sound of the piece.

     “To my own surprise and amusement, I often choose vegetables as a subject for my metal work. Although we experience vegetables “five servings a day”, I think we forget to appreciate how beautiful and interesting they are. Each of my pieces about vegetables is a homage to something simple and delightful.”

                                     Karen Rudd

                                          2005

www.karenrudd.com