Carving An Art Nouveau Spring

May 9, 2014

Earlier, we examined Linda LaRoche’s sketches for the jardinière, which were just the first part of the process! Using the detailed drawings, LaRoche sculpted a clay model of the jardinière’s base. Sculpting the model at approximately five times the size of the final product helped her learn the design so she could more easily replicate it in 1/12th scale.

Using the knowledge she gained while working on the clay model, LaRoche carved the base out of plumwood with tools she made by hand. Each side of the base features a different animal. One side has two crabs walking toward each other; the other has a coiled sea serpent or dolphin. The delicate cabriole legs feature tiny dolphin heads. With all of these incredible details, we think planting miniature flowers in this jardinière would only be a distraction!