Cockatoo 2010

Blake Collection, Tasmania. 2010.

Statement

A mature Lebanese Cypress was ailing in the gardens overlooking Hobart city. It was necessary to pull the tree down and the carers chose to commission a series of vessels from the 600mm diameter tree…. Over several months Tatton and the Blakes met and discussed drawings and visions for the garden. Eventually the symbol of the traditional washing bowl and ewer were selected to relate to the federation home still in its original condition. As time went by the representation of the natural world became prominent and a drawing with the cockatoo crest was spotted in the sketchbook. After some further drawing it was settled to create a 1.8m high cockatoo vessel on a giant copper bowl, and with a steady trickle of water recycling, it was to be the central piece to several carved hollow forms around the property.

The texture was always going to be rough chainsawn. The forms were shaped on the outside and then plunge cut at each end. Once the centre was bored into and a pyramid taken out it was possible to shape the inside walls to an even wall thickness.
The longevity of the species was unknown and so the parts were pressure treated in chrome treatment for fencing grade protection.

The original tree stump has been maintained as the plinth to the copper clad bowl. The solar powered water pouring is timed to stop at 10 pm…

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