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This item will be posted to you by Kathryn Parsons Ceramics within 5 days of receiving payment.
| Shipping destination | Cost | Additional items |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | £8.00 | |
| EU & Northern Ireland | Doesn't deliver here | |
| United States | £18.00 | |
| Rest of the World | Doesn't deliver here | |
I am fascinated by the small details of the natural world. A couple of years ago a friend gave me a book of exquisite drawings of microscopic sea creatures, made by 19th century scientist Ernst Haeckel… and ever since then I’ve been dreaming about how to capture some of the intricate details and beauty of these tiny life forms! Not long afterwards, I was invited to visit the Natural History Museum’s coral collection. While I was there, the curator showed me some of Charles Darwin’s collection of barnacles. I loved the way that they were arranged, nestled in hand made open-topped cardboard boxes...
In October 2019 I had the idea of combining those two strands of inspiration - creating open-fronted ‘boxes’ for a new collection of porcelain radiolarians (shown in the final photo). They are not copies of the ones that Haeckel drew - instead I imagine they are new species, recently discovered and displayed here for the first time :)
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Additional terms
Please note that your sculpture will be sent by Royal Mail "Tracked and Signed" - signature required on delivery. If your sculpture is being sent overseas, the purchaser is responsible for any customs fees and / or import duties.
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Full description
This tiny porcelain sculpture was inspired by 19th century drawings of microscopic sea creatures called ‘radiolarians’. These are currently the only ones of their kind in existence… I like to imagine they're new species, only just discovered.
To make the radiolarians, I used simple hand tools to shape the soft porcelain clay, creating each element separately. While the pieces were still soft, I joined them carefully together, coaxing the clay in to natural sea-creature-ish shapes.
The little frame that protects the radiolarians is porcelain too. It is intentionally wobbly-edged to emphasise the handmade, individual look. Once it was dry, I painted on three coats of underglaze to create a gorgeous deep, rich colour with a slight sheen when it catches the light. It’s makes a lovely contrast to the beautiful unglazed, matt white of the creatures.
The porcelain was fired in my kiln, to a temperature of 1245 degrees centigrade, then I fixed the radiolarians in their frame. The little frame measures about 5.5cm wide, 7.5cm high, and roughly 2cm deep. The intricate little sea creatures are domed, and sit back within the frame.
I have added a small metal D-ring to the back of the frame so that it can be hung on the wall, though it would be equally happy propped on a small shelf.
A unique gift, perfect for a nature lover, ecologist, marine biologist, historian, story teller and those who love beautifully made contemporary fine art.
Designed by Kathryn Parsons in my studio in Cambridgeshire, UK
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