Ice Cubes

 

My exhibiting group Out of the Fold have a group challenge for our new series of work each year. The 2024 challenge is to make CUBES.

Following on from the word play of 'Moth Balls' I thought of different sorts of cubes and their associations.  Sugar Cubes and Rubik cubes were considered and rejected. 

It was whilst enjoying a gin and tonic when the clink of ice against glass brought an Eureka moment. Ice cubes! 

Ghost Nets

 Inspiration came too from a piece of work made earlier in the year for the Norfolk Makers challenge 'Under the surface'

Ghost Nets was not selected for the Norwich exhibition but I liked the technique of using recycled plastics encapsulated in laminated plastic

I experimented to get the look I wanted to represent the look, texture and reflective qualitites of ice

The multi layered plastics and cut up and reassembled using my trusty soldering iron

The simple machine stitching  using free motion zigzag is to suggest ice cracks

A pale and cool colour palette with glitzy glints to pick up the light

The cube construction was not without it's challenges. The six sides could partially be stitched together by machine but the final joins by hand were quite tough on the fingers

The challenge was to make cubes at 4", 8" and 12".

I have actually made five cubes with a 2" and 6" added into the collection

The 12" required going up to A3 laminated sheets. I would quite like to go bigger - could I make a 16"? 

You wil be able to see all the finished cubes, plus those of the eleven other members of Out of The Fold at our exhibition coming up at The Quay Gallery, Snape Maltings from 18th - 23rd October 2024