Sapling Reliquary

Creator

Mark Lester

Preview

Item Type

Image

Creation Date

4-3-2018

Description

2018. 13”x11”. Wheel thrown and altered stoneware and porcelain, recycling water pump, nichrome wire, twine, maple sapling, potting soil, water. Coordinates: 30°15’54.58” N, 81°30’57.94” W.

This piece represents a spot in the preserve where many trees live in ground inundated by water. The sapling, to me a symbol of purity, innocence and potential, is suspended in a pot made of porcelain, one of ceramics’ most revered materials. The construction of this piece allows for the fewest possible points of contact between the plant and its surroundings, a further reference to its purity. The cycle of water around the piece is similar to the movement of water through the wetlands in the preserve. This piece was created in response to my favorite spot in the preserve, and the suspension of the untouched sapling in the middle reflects the sacred space many of us hold for the beauty of the natural world.