ARTIST STATEMENT
The concept of 'After Death' comments on the circle of life as it happens in a natural environment without human interference. My paper Mache and clay sculpture specifically explores the idea of death being the vessel for beauty to rise, thrive and grow to allow for other forms of life to survive until they then die, thus repeating the cycle of death and growth. The plants that grow from my rock wallaby are a range of native flowers, succulents and mushrooms. My work expresses that there will be dark times but something beautiful can still grow and thrive from such darkness.
ARTWORK PROCESS
After death is an assemblage piece that expresses the circle of life as it would happen without human interference and shows that from death can come beautiful things. Starting off this piece I spent a large amount of my time crafting what would become the skeleton of my dead wallaby then spent even longer paper macheing it, I created fake flowers and mushrooms from clay, paper and wire that would grow around the sculpture then painted it all. I painted the wallaby in a dull white and the flowers in brighter colours to make them contrast the wallaby.
