Angela Holmes

Nature’s Armour

A ceramic sculpture in high-fired stoneware, decorated with copper oxide and glaze. It is stabilised on a slate base with a stainless steel pin.

THE PANDEMIC EFFECT

To describe the effects of Covid 19 on my professional practice, I initially enjoyed a period of peacefulness and reduced pace. Life had fewer choices and, with that, fewer decisions to be made - giving space for inspiration to gather, ideas to evolve.

Walking daily in nature, I observed a gratitude for the decrease in noise and fuel pollution; low tides were magical and nature seemed to burgeon. Ironically my exhibit is titled "Nature's Armour"; in reality, nature was shedding its "armour" and it was us, human beings that were creating sheaths around ourselves through isolation or social distance. The revival of economic and social structures can be seen as the emergence from the lay ers that formerly protected us. This emergence felt at times smooth or erratic; clear or confused; jubilant or intrepid.