Emily Williams - USA

14.3 x 12.5 x 6     The sculpture was inspired by the historical Wunderkammers of European nobility, early scientists and scholars. These curiosity cabinets featured specimens of different coral species some quite large. This piece combines the form of a Gorgonian Fan Coral mounted in a customized wood base specifically designed and finished for this glass coral sculpture. Using scientific illustrations and photography of Gorgonian Fan Coral, I developed the form using various diameters of borosilicate glass rod and a small Smith torch. The process of working is very much akin to drawing. When examining Fan Corals and developing the sculpture, I was interested in creating a variety of openings in the lattice formation as one would see in natural corals-ovals, circular openings, and squarish openings of all sizes. The initial form was constructed of stretched and elongated branches of glass that were then filled with the cellular lattice patterns. It was labor intensive process moving down each channel of branches from left to right.