Seeking a new challenge several years ago we embarked on this project with no preconceived idea of the direction it would take. We knew on some level that the profound appreciation of nature that we both share would be our guide and we were both open to going down a new path in search of inspiration. This collaboration has evolved at a slow but steady pace and it seems totally fitting for it to be introduced this Spring since it is a "new beginning".
Since we both are solitary workers we pursued the project individually, but connected regularly to share our thoughts and to give each other input. "Armed" with a selection of my small scale porcelain sculptures, Hardie integrated them into the landscapes of his expeditions and photographed them. True to his vision of the natural world, these pieces blended into their surroundings as if he had come across them by chance. Then the transition from nature to studio was accomplished by printing an enlargement of the section of the photograph which focused on the sculpture on canvas. With the actual sculpture affixed to the stretched canvas enlargement and shown next to the original photograph, our concept has come full circle and this show is the result of our work together.
Since we both are solitary workers we pursued the project individually, but connected regularly to share our thoughts and to give each other input. "Armed" with a selection of my small scale porcelain sculptures, Hardie integrated them into the landscapes of his expeditions and photographed them. True to his vision of the natural world, these pieces blended into their surroundings as if he had come across them by chance. Then the transition from nature to studio was accomplished by printing an enlargement of the section of the photograph which focused on the sculpture on canvas. With the actual sculpture affixed to the stretched canvas enlargement and shown next to the original photograph, our concept has come full circle and this show is the result of our work together.
