Molly Clark

Alchemy

My FMP has revolved around the idea of organic creation, using my local natural surroundings to source materials and inspiration. I frequently visited these locations with my family as a child, so now exploring them has inspired a child-like curiosity that I once had, helping massively with the experimental nature of this project. The use of mainly natural materials has required a certain resourcefulness that has often led to instinctive thinking, actions and processes. This consistent need to adapt to unknown situations has really challenged me, however the once dreaded idea of going with the flow has become very liberating. My process lead project has also aimed to have quite a sustainable attitude through sourcing/making my own materials, leading to reduced food waste and helping the environment I’m so fascinated by.

I found these ever-changing natural environments have become a coping method for when life gets a little too much. I have found that it’s not just the captivating views that create this sense of comfort yet freedom. The water trickling in a stream, birds chirping, leaves rustling on the branches and crunching underfoot. The feeling when the wind hits you as it hollers across an open field. These are the things that a painting or sketch can’t convey.

Many processes have created this project; I have explored making/finding pigments, using that to create inks, adapting natural forms to become working tools, weaving using purely natural materials, creating my own paper and simply building up a collection of natural materials as a way to document my walks and journeys. However, I have found that my work is constantly going through the process of development. I am always finding myself adding or removing, dividing or increasing, continuously evolving my work, never really reaching a conclusion. I like how the possibility of growth is always there.

My final outcome is a marriage of process and materials, trying to (literally) capture the immense beauty, fascination and sheer awe I see and feel in the natural world. The depth of each layer makes the whole form hard to comprehend, giving it a powerful presence, reminiscent of ‘nature’ and the vastness that term covers. I did however get caught up in the pursuit of a larger scale, meaning my efforts to achieve sustainability weren’t completely at the forefront. I do find myself regretting the amount of paper used although must we “destroy an object to appreciate it?”. The scale of my installation makes giving a brief description hard to do. However, another student described it as “a fragment of a soul, both by transferring it and by building it”, and I think that is perfect. These organic processes and ways of working have just as much become part of me as they have my work. Making my final outcome just the beginning of my journey.

Follow my journey here: https://www.instagram.com/m.fleurart/?hl=en