Nathan A Johansen, Provo, Ut
Sculpture 1 : Delicate Seedpod
Media: bronze
Dimensions: 28"x8"x8"
$8800
This piece is a continuing exploration of the artist’s interest in seeds and propagation. Flowers, in all their showy, colorful profusion are noticeable and dominant in defining the “beauty” of a plant. Yet, these ephemeral blossoms are transient and fade quickly, to be replaced by that for which the plant exists…the seeds. The fruit and seeds, though simpler in color and shape, are beautiful and long lasting, preserving the next generation. Delicate Seed Pod is a depiction of the pod in its deteriorating state, leaving a beautiful lacy casing around the seeds within.
Sculpture 2 : Germination: A Good Seed
Media: bronze
Dimensions: 48"x25"x12"
$14500
Tree Phases Too is a depiction of several different developmental stages of a tree. The seed form at the bottom of the sculpture, has sprouted and is growing upward, encountering obstacles as it pushes through the soil, represented by the layered, cast shale. See the trunk of a mature tree, with its broadened, firmer foundation and the indication of cut off branches as well as the evidence of nails, driven in for some now, unknown purpose. The tree will send away the ripe, winged seed in the hope of perpetuation as it spirals back down to earth, to be buried in the soil ready to repeat this process all over again!
The depiction of earth layers are thin layers of actual shale stone while the sprout and seed were modeled in wood. For strength, all the parts were then molded and cast in bronze for insertion in the steel trunk.