Fragilis

Painted quilt with stitched deconstructed paper
84 x 90 cm
2025
 
Artist Statement
 
Recently I was given a bouquet of sunflowers. I was inspired by their beauty, and took many photos with the intention of making work. 

Sunflowers are bright and strong and resilient. The colour is striking, and the contrast between the vivid yellow petals and the dense darkness of the centre is spellbinding: it almost absorbs the viewer. 

I started by drawing a few sketches, then enlarged this onto fabric, which I painted and quilted. The result was not working for me, so I started breaking down what I wanted to express with the sunflower theme. I had observed the changes which occurred with the sunflower and I knew that I wanted to explore that. It spoke of fragility, and this resonated with my previous work.

So, I cut the quilt into sections. The deconstruction is a metaphor for the changes that naturally occur, the once rich and splendid flower becoming a withered, drooping version of itself. Just as in nature, we become fragile as we get older: we shrivel, decay, and then die. 

I added the black strips of fabric to bring attention to the cut edges, which would otherwise disappear into the composition. The stitched paper attached to the flower represents a dried, dead leaf, in contrast with the bright, living petals.