Just add heat — Wendy Korol

I love to find out the creative passions of people. When we work full time we often have to put those passions to one side. Working is such a drain on our energies, emotional and mental, not to mention just finding the time. Even when we have the time it is often difficult to crank ourselves up to begin painting/writing/sewing/potting/printing/add own creative passion here. Hands up those who agree. Yep, a forest of hands!

My friend Wendy was like that too. When we taught together I knew that she was fascinated with making jewellery. However, it wasn’t until she left teaching that she was able to pursue it — and she has done with fabulous dedication.

On Friday I went to Wendy’s exhibition of her amazing work from her Masters year at RMIT. She has been working with thin copper sheets to create enamelled vessels. The forms looked so solid, and yet, at the same time, looked so light. She says “The protrusion of the metal with its crinkled and unrefined ridges provides a dramatic surface for the enamels to amplify the slopes and valleys of the creases”. The photos of her work will tell you much more than my words will.

Wendy Korol’s work (Photocopy right: Anne Lawson, 2013)

Wendy Korol’s work (Photocopy right: Anne Lawson, 2013)

Wendy Korol’s work (Photocopy right: Anne Lawson, 2013)

See those little chairs and tables there too? Wendy said that they were inspired by a childhood memory of a cafe she went to. She was intrigued by the chairs there, those ‘s’ shaped chairs. How could you sit on them and not have them collapse? Now she has created hundreds of them, piling them up on tables, putting them around tables, tipping some over. One of the other viewers at the exhibition thought it was like the morning after a party!

The chairs were made with copper wire and copper for the back and seat.

Wendy Korol’s work (Photocopy right: Anne Lawson, 2013)

Wendy Korol’s work (Photocopy right: Anne Lawson, 2013)

Wendy Korol’s work (Photocopy right: Anne Lawson, 2013)

I would love to be able to say “Go and visit the exhibition”. However, it has finished. But there will be more and I will let you know about it. I will be very curious to know what Wendy will create next.