Engage Artist

Eleanor Havsteen-Franklin

Artform:
Drawing, printmaking and sculpture
Year:
2021-22
Location:
St. Albans
Influences:
flora, fauna and organic forms
Email:
eleanorhavsteen@yahoo.co.uk
Social link:
Project summary:

My work focuses on visually embodying the interwoven relationship between botanical and biological forms, in order to reflect on the fragility and resilience of ecosystems and human life. The starting point for my drawings, etchings and sculptures are detailed hand drawn studies of flora, fauna and organic forms, which are brought together to create a novel new object. The exploration of surface is an important aspect of my practice; by allowing foul biting on the copper plate during the etching process a dialogue is created between random surface impressions and the drawn line. The surface begins to allude to the molecular and the tactile nature of the print becomes evocative of the changing textures of ‘living’ surfaces such as human and plant physiology. The surface of the print is, at times, explored further by stitching into the Japanese paper, creating a different kind of visceral tactility. 

With the AA2A scheme, I will develop further the concept of ‘surface’ in my 3D and 2D work. This will be informed by my collaboration with the scientist Dr Schornack and his research on Fungi and mycorrhizal processes at Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University. I will be investigating how to develop the interface between my 3D work and etchings, particularly focusing on the ‘surface’, ‘the molecular’ and ‘living tissue’ in connection with the plant research and the microscopic imagery from laboratory. Dr Schornack’s research involves looking at mutually beneficial and sustainable relationships in the plant world. I will be investigating these ideas, and the notion of interconnectedness between living organism, which links to the impact of the COVID pandemic and environmental crisis. My background as an art therapist since 1999, informs my interest and gives me a broader perspective on health. I am hoping to develop work which will visually engage the public in a creative dialogue around sustainable relationship with each other and the natural world. 

My work focuses on visually embodying the interwoven relationship between botanical and biological forms, in order to reflect on the fragility and resilience of ecosystems and human life. The starting point for my drawings, etchings and sculptures are detailed hand drawn studies of flora, fauna and organic forms, which are brought together to create a novel new object. The exploration of surface is an important aspect of my practice; by allowing foul biting on the copper plate during the etching process a dialogue is created between random surface impressions and the drawn line. The surface begins to allude to the molecular and the tactile nature of the print becomes evocative of the changing textures of ‘living’ surfaces such as human and plant physiology. The surface of the print is, at times, explored further by stitching into the Japanese paper, creating a different kind of visceral tactility. 

With the AA2A scheme, I will develop further the concept of ‘surface’ in my 3D and 2D work. This will be informed by my collaboration with the scientist Dr Schornack and his research on Fungi and mycorrhizal processes at Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University. I will be investigating how to develop the interface between my 3D work and etchings, particularly focusing on the ‘surface’, ‘the molecular’ and ‘living tissue’ in connection with the plant research and the microscopic imagery from laboratory. Dr Schornack’s research involves looking at mutually beneficial and sustainable relationships in the plant world. I will be investigating these ideas, and the notion of interconnectedness between living organism, which links to the impact of the COVID pandemic and environmental crisis. My background as an art therapist since 1999, informs my interest and gives me a broader perspective on health. I am hoping to develop work which will visually engage the public in a creative dialogue around sustainable relationship with each other and the natural world. 

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