Ravens and crows are birds we all know. We think of them as highly intelligent and devoted family members. They can be hard to miss; crows cawing in the cities and ravens croaking in the country. In my own life a family of Ravens nests near my home. They fly overhead, scoop dead mice off the ground and circle in curiosity.
In my recent series, 'Oscines', crows & ravens are interwoven with blooming vines; rugosa roses, sweet peas and blackberries. Using flowers to express feeling without words has been used for centuries. The language of flowers is called Floriography.
Ravens and crows often symbolize death or change. Birds in general are often considered carriers or messengers to and from the after-world. With this in mind I created these works to express my emotions about care-giving, family and loss. Recently the grandparents I cared for passed. My cousins and I had been devoted to keeping them in their home and we were their caregivers for 7 years.
The Artist Mostly self taught, Loralin has a background of ceramic production art, sculpture and numerous skills including carpentry and braising. Her studio is completely off grid in the woods. Living close to nature in quiet solitude is an environment conductive to a creative focus. Her experiences have paved the way to combining classic materials in detailed and diminutive constructions. Each sculpture can take months to finish, and can include hundreds of pieces in difficult mediums. Some elements consist of translucent porcelain painted with classic china paints. they are often finished with hand formed copper stem, branch and foliage
Inspiration for the artist often begins in the natural world and with established artists in her mediums. Currently this includes 1600’s dutch flower and forest floor paintings and sculpture artists such as Beth Cavener, Carmen Almon and Ellen Jewett.
AUTUMN CHORUS will have an opening night on October 6th, 2023 The show is open until November 12, 2023 in Downtown Olympia, WA
All photography and ikages belong to the artist and the photographers who took them. Copyright 2024 Loralin Toney