Anne Alexander is an artist who lives in a village along the Presumpscot River in Southern, Maine. She seeks inspiration from her surrounding, natural environment. She is concerned with inspiring emotional or kinesthetic responses in the viewer. She also wishes to enhance one’s awareness of his/her body, size, and surrounding space as it relates to the natural world. Her work is successful to me, when it causes these reactions in many ages and types of people. Small parts of nature are the source of ideas and inspiration. Natural forms are abstracted and enlarged to create works which suggest themes of regeneration, growth, life cycles, and stages of maturation.
These sculptures range in height from 3 -15 inches in height
I started sculpting this Pine Cone Series during the pandemic lockdown. During this time at home without the normal busyness of life, I decided to focus on creating a series with more detail than my usual simplified, pure, forms.
I am often drawn to observing small, inconspicuous, natural specimens for inspiration for my work, and have had a life time fascination for pine cones. I am drawn to forms that suggest themes of life stages and cycles; including growth, regeneration, fertility, and maturation. The numerous pine cones found in Maine have the potential to grow into a mighty tree, while also feeding forest animals.
As for technique, the larger ones are started with the coil method. Then the pinecone scales are added and edges and textured surfaces are refined. The larger of these were high fired in Portland Pottery’s large gas kiln. Most of the smaller ones were raku fired to add a lustre finish. This series has been exhibited in different exhibits in Maine: The Caldbeck Gallery in Rockland, The Gascoine Gallery in Monson, Hole in the wall Studioworks in Raymond, and Yarmouth Frame Gallery. If interested in purchase, please contact one of these galleries or send a message through this website.