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City Search
August, 2008
Jess Morrison explains the concept behind her unusual artwork in the new Pieces of Eight exhibition, Baked Not Fried.
CS: What was your attraction to metals and enameling?
JM: Well I kind of look at metal as a bit of a skeleton as its the base structure of what I'm going to be exploring (apart from the fact that I absolutely love precious metals!) and I see enameling as the flesh of the piece - it gives it the character, the colour and the final surface finish. It's cold but can also be warm so it's almost like an element that's been pre-existing.
CS: Your main theme is 'the beast' and you focus on wild animals. Where does that fascination come from?
JM: I think we all have a 'beastliness' about us and we get far too complicated but we're really just animals. I guess it's an extension of that but animals are such survivors - they're out there in the wild being instinctive and I also look at them as stunning and quirky creatures.
CS: How would you describe your work?
JM: Playful. An exploration of experimenting with techniques and casting, enameling and embellishing really, whether that's stones or gold leaf. I'm always about adding that extra layer so I suppose it's also about the line between the overly grotesque and the beautiful.
- Emma McGowan
Baked Not Fried is showing at Pieces of Eight August 12 - September 13, 2008
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