Conversations With a Seed Pod (2018)

These weavings were created during a 6-week workshop at the Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI.

Prompted by a trip to the RISD Nature Lab, these works emerged in conversation with the fibrous, textural, and geometrical elements I observed in a Castanospermum/Black Bean Tree seed pod -- under a magnifying glass, by touch, and through research into its flowers and growth patterns. 

I was first attracted to the Black Bean Tree seed pod for its modest, yet surprising appearance: a hard, bumpy, dried exterior; and a soft, fibrous, padded interior. I like how it fits perfectly into my hand and how, as a result of drying, has begun to twist in a subtle spiral. When tapped, the exterior makes a high-pitched sound. The interior, by contrast, is densely insulated and makes a low, fuzzy sound when touched. What I enjoy most about the appearance of the seed pod is the luminous, almost pearlescent quality of the interior padding. That, combined with the almost chrome, bronze-colored seeds and the overall, relatively unimpressive exterior of the pod, present complex and interesting interactions between materials.