Katrin Juchems – Germany

Apple tree – spring and autumn

Category: Traditional

Description

The most obvious is the physical fusion of different silks to create leaves. Each one a little different. The way in which the leaves are assembled, the front view of the headpiece showing an array of green shades – representing spring. Whereas the back is autumncolored in two toned and patterned silk – to embody autumn. Those two sides fused in one tree, represent my two homes. Germany were I was born and raised, and the antipodes were I continue to grow. A fusion of two countries with two opposing seasons. On a third level is the fusion of multiple symbolic meanings in one object – the apple. Sin, death, power, temptation on one side and furthermore it stands for knowledge, fertility, harmony and beauty.

Materials

• Selection of fabrics, mainly silk, two shot colored, one patterned, others plain
• Different gauge millinery wires
• Variety of florist wires
• Vlisofix
• Buttonhole and silk thread
• Tiny artificial apples

Techniques

• Every silk leave is hand cut, wired, fused, tooled (with French flower making tools) and hand shaped.
• The tree is created with wirework, which is bound with silk thread and sits on a handmade wireframe to create a balanced, lightweight, comfortable headpiece.