Wednesday, March 10, 2010

More Cabbage Love

Ever notice how gorgeous red cabbage is? I have. And I even dedicated an entire blog post to this most visually-pleasing cruciferous vegetable. Those pretty purple folds create such a striking formation. The contrast of color, the randomness of the swirls, the lineal arrangement that changes depending on how it is cut—it is nature's ultimate graphic design.

I vowed to one day give this cruciferous the props it deserves. Well my friends, that day has arrived. (I imagine you are on the edge of your seat right now? Ok, maybe not. Fair enough.)

The girls and I started off sketching and painting a cross-section of cabbage. Observing and then actually drawing/painting the many lines was fascinating and, for the girls, a little tedious. They both started off with gusto but eventually got bored of all those little layers and loops. Not me.

The obvious next step was an interpretation in silver. And since March is, apparently, the month of bent-and-hammered-wire designs for me (see Jane pins, and current header) I started with a strand of thin silver. I bent and swirled it in a random configuration, then hammered it all flat and rough, and soldered in onto an oval backpiece.

It turned out to be not-so-literal, this interpretation, but the cabbage influence is definitely there. My cabbage-in-silver series has only just begun, and I will surely show you more as I go. For now, this piece can be found in my shop.

12 comments:

  1. I love it! I have really enjoyed your posts showing what inspires you - this is a cracker! :D

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  2. Oh goodness I love cabbage and I *really* love this design. The painting is gorgeous too. Thanks for asking if you can use my image, feel free to use any from my site and linking to either the blog or store is cool with me. It's funny, I was just thinking of linking to you too. xoxo

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  3. Such a lovely post about cabbage...i love it too! Your design is really gorgeous! Have a lovely merry happy day and love to yoU!

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  4. yes! yes! i too am in love with the looks of red cabbage : ) i first fell in love with it's beauty while dyeing easter eggs and finding the dye is actually blue from this cruciferous veggie! (like that word too) such beautiful inspiration and creating amy! xo

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  5. oh, my...this is so perfect! we are kraut makers and always in awe of the cabbage every time we cut into one. i love the way you captured the essence of cabbage in silver.

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  6. yes, I often admire cabbage as I cut it up for my salad! I also contemplated doing a painting since it so striking and interesting! Great necklace. Thanks for giving cabbage the attention it so deserves! :)

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  7. this is so great and it gave me an idea for a class with the second graders next week. : )

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  8. were you in my head today? the kids and i were on a hunt for seeds and seedlings today and i just couldn't buy plain cabbage. i was holding out for red cabbage.
    and much the same way you have posted about it here, i keep finding myself tempted to post more lovingly about beets, but i haven't captured that perfect photo yet.
    your drawing and necklace are beautiful!
    nicola
    Which Name?

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  9. This is really gorgeous! I lOVE that cabbage inspired you.
    lisa

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  10. cabbage has always inspired my love for beauty
    ..ditto red onions sliced across.
    Have you and the girls every tried coloring eggs by using onion skins? they are gorgeous. Simply wrap a fresh egg in the brown , papery onion skin and put a piece of cloth over it to hold it down , use a rubber band, and hard boil it! You'll be surprised at the marbled look.
    June Brasgalla

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