During the pandemic shutdown, I paused adding to my jewellery inventory and used the unstructured time to design and fabricate a large sculptural installation – a copper kelp forest. Using anticlastic raising, I forged copper kelp fronds to created a mobile kelp forest. The forest was then populated by a diversity of fabricated and patinated copper marine organisms – herring, rockfish, sea stars, halibut, skates, and jellyfish. One of the last arrivals was a copper kelp crab that hides in the kelp while clinging to a kelp frond.
Kelp Crab on Kelp
Sarah Groves
Photo credit: Sarah Groves
Bio
I am a metalsmith/jeweller working with copper, silver, gold and natural gemstones to make jewellery and small sculptural pieces influenced by my experience as a printmaker and ecologist. My work consists of several production lines, commissions and one-of-a-kind pieces that respond to materials, techniques and design challenges that intrigue me.