A guava tree has a bird roosting on it and a single fruit hanging from its branches. A golden rain tree is in full bloom and so is a bunch of blue morning glory. And while I feel as if I have stepped into a floral garden, I am actually in artist George Fernandez’ living room. The guava tree, golden rain tree and morning glory are part of on an upcoming exhibition of George’s.
The exhibition, says George, will feature Nature’s flora at its best. “It’s a mix medium exhibition. The flowers are handmade. While some are made of cloth, others are made from soap, porcelain, Thai clay.... The accessories are made of paper pulp and bread too. I have experimented with a new medium this time around - Deco clay,” says George, who has held several exhibitions over the years. “Deco clay is from Japan and is easier to mould. I can make the clay as thin as paper for my flowers and even give it natural frills.”
Some of George’s works
He hands me an eye-catching arrangement of Lantana flowers on a piece of artificial wood. “This piece was a challenge to make as the flowers are so tiny. As I like paying close attention to detail, I always place a live model in front of me. That way, I can get the tones of the flowers, curls of the petals and so on, right. I also like to arrange my live blooms carefully so that it will look artful when I replicate them.”
A yellow bird watching over a nest of yellow and red blooms is made from Lamasa, a Mexican craft. “For Lamasa, certain ingredients are cooked and formed into a dough, which is then used to form shapes.”
Some of George’s works
A swan carrying a bunch of roses in pale pink is made from regular bath soap. “The flowers on the bonsais are made from cloth,” says George who adds that 40 of his works will be on display at the exhibition. “And all of them are new. While some pieces took me two to three weeks to complete, others took me months.”
The exhibition, titled ‘Nature’s wonder’, begins today at 4 pm at the Russian Cultural Centre , Vanross Junction. It will conclude on December 10.
