Bowl one, I wanted to encapsulate the old man in his feelings as an overwhelming confusing time many vulnerable people have found themselves in. I feel the strength of this piece comes from the use of the covid material to make the paper as well as creating repetition using the letterpress, the meaning becomes more significant as the material qualities exaggerate the isolation and vulnerability. The use of paper mache allowed me not only to make a very handmade outcome as I was able to use paper created from covid newspaper clipping but I have also been able to pursue my interest in traditional methods by using paper mache to form the bowls. I illustrated the man to look hunched and cold, I did this as a result of numerous visits around the lake vulnerable older people tended to walk alone or early in the morning to avoid contact with other people. This started to form the significance of the man.
Bowl 2, I wanted to explore the other feeling created as a result of this loneliness, a fear and darkness. this is why I had places the man within repetitive “covid” and “isolation” letterpress and foil prints to exaggerate the isolated darkness. This is similar with the illustration, for much of the time the lake visits were gloomy and most of the time quite depressing when visiting in the worst weather, this inspired me to illustrate the man to be wrapped up in a coat hat and to clasp an umbrella as for much of the time it was drizzly. For both these forms I decided to illustrate the man within the form to trap him within the environment as the walls of the bowl allowed the illustrations and prints to bouncy the feeling around and to make the feeling of isolation (as he is the only one in the bowl) stronger. the news paper hand made paper gave a beautiful grey tone with flex of text within in and also allowed for subtle translucent areas to emerge from the paper mache making the form seam almost more fragile and vulnerable. The organic torn edge of the paper creates quite a beautiful border and allows for a strong sense of handmade fragility.
Lara Hoad Artist Designer: Maker 