SOPHIA CHRISTIE
THE PROCESS
Method:
1) Add 5-6 teaspoons of soda crystals to a pan of boiling water, stir and reduce to a simmer.
2) Add a handful of leaves.
3) Boil for 30mins and then leave to steep until the water is cool enough to handle the leaves.
4) Using a toothbrush, gently brush and rinse each leaf until only the skeleton remains.
5) Place somewhere flat to dry.
6) Spread a very thin layer of latex over each leaf and leave to dry.
7) Select 3 or 4 leaves of a similar size and join together to form a cocoon using the self adhesive qualities of the latex.
8) Fill with non-memories.
A great deal of trial and error went into this process. I discovered that certain leaves worked better than others. For the final artwork I created 22 cocoons, using 66 leaves. I like the fragility of the leaf skeleton and the properties of the latex which make it more flexible and self adhesive. I would like to continue to use latex in my work, although as the leaves have now fallen off the tree, I will have to work with different materials in the future.