My love is like a red red rose

Doreen Oldmeadow

Australia

• Leather Camellia Project by Galina Kofod

I was inspired by the article in March 2019 featuring Galina Kofod showing the Japanese Somebana method in flower making. This method of sculpting materials allows individuality to reflect the beauty of not only the subject, but the medium used. Galina's method opened my mind to the unlimited applications that I could use to achieve more complex looking flowers and champion the materials.

I wanted my work to be a form of art that could express my imagination, highlight techniques and create a beautiful piece to be worn. Using leather, a material that is primarily known for its strength and resilience, the challenge was to create a piece that highlighted the materials' characteristics yet was feminine. I decided to use colour, texture, light and shadow to create 'movement' with the petals and therefore allow the leather to appear free flowing.

The name of my piece is inspired by a poem written by Robert Burns, "My love is like a red red rose."

It speaks of passion and inspiration and this is what I wanted my headpiece to also speak of.

• Leather
• Wire
• Glue
• Velvet
• Plastic headband
• Foam
• Petersham ribbon
• Cotton

• Designing piece
• Making a padded headband
• Blocking leather
• Designing flower shapes and petals
• Using Somebana method of sculpting petals with a mini soldering iron
• Building the flowers
• Making velvet leaves
• Attaching the flowers and leaves to headband