About Laurie Lever
Postgraduate coursework student profiles
Artist
statement
Great trees exist which have lived 5000 years and beyond, great beings watching over the earth, the generations of its animals and small creatures, and the rise and fall of the civilizations of 'man'.
We must wonder what awareness and knowledge they carry in their ancient veins and whether, when they, and trees of more modest age, finally succumb to death, and their bodies are transformed by woodworkers, if some of this shifts into the work into which we shape them.
These processes happen in time and I have been happy to be part of this shape-shifting of wood, in particular into functional items such as interior cabinets with an Asian aesthetic. Much of my work has involved the recycling of wood - also often part of the joyful restoration of antique furniture - some of which is hundreds of years old.
The 'Island Bench' incorporates old pressed tin, partly in an opening curved door.
The 'Detail' shows also a 'Japanese' pantry cupboard in jarrah and high pressure laminate under stairs made from old recycled wood (Baltic pine, Oregon, Sugar pine).
Other images are of a section of a large stained glass 'Gilgamesh' window, and a commissioned window for the Waldorf School at Mt. Barker.
My present work includes 'Japanese' style furniture and is moving into work more obviously concerned with 'meaning-making', work which is on the one hand of a political and community nature, and on the other work exploring my wonder at this impossible being we are all somehow experiencing.
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