A Visual Feast
Two artists and a chef
Ruth Levine, Juliet Holmes a Court and Chef James Viles of Biota
Sustenance 01 (large), 02 (medium), 03 (gold), 04 (gold), 05 (small)
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ’Norm’s potatoes, onions and cheese’ as my culinary muse, set me on the path to explore the colours and textures of this visual feast.
The Sustenance collection, transforms the ordinariness of the working man’s potatoes + onions, into nuggets of gold, russet, and deep purple, precious chalices of royal sustenance.
Similarly to the edible ingredients, the materials used to shape the 5 vessel
set of Sustenance, recycled paper and workman’s fabric forge the alchemy of mediums into
valued sculptures
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Beneath the Pines 02
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ’Pine mushrooms from the forest, confit leek, rape
juices and Pecora Dairy yoghurt’ as my culinary muse, set me on the path to explore the
colours and textures of this visual feast.
I explored the dish by distilling the hero ingredient, the pine mushroom.
The beauty of this wild ingredient, the lineal textures, the random surface pattern, the
curvaceous forms and rich complimentary robust tones.
It is a visual representation of Autumn, Winter, wood fires, pine forest and a glass of a full
bodied red. My vessels are pine mushroom –esque.
Beneath the pines 02, explores the lineal mushroom textures through black sewn lines over rice paper soaked in steeped recycled tea.
Beneath the Pines 03
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ’Pine mushrooms from the forest, confit leek,
rape juices and Pecora Dairy yoghurt’ as my culinary muse, set me on the path to explore the colours and textures of this visual feast.
I explored the dish by distilling the hero ingredient, the pine mushroom.
The beauty of this wild ingredient, the lineal textures, the random surface pattern, the curvaceous forms and rich complimentary robust tones.
It is a visual representation of Autumn, Winter, wood fires, pine forest and a glass of a full-bodied red.
My vessels are pine mushroom -esque.
Beneath the pines 03, explores the lineal mushroom textures through black sewn lines
over rice paper soaked in steeped recycled tea.
Medium Totem
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ’ River bed sorrel, eucalyptus and frozen goats milk’’ as my culinary muse, set me on the path to explore the colours and textures of this visual feast.
The horizontal, totem like form of this dish struck me as the inspiration for this vertical vessel.
The combination of contrasting elements, from the concrete textured plate interpreted as the recycled shredded recycled paper shell, juxtaposed against the silk tea-dipped cinnamon casing,
bound together by the ‘cherry blossom’ string.
A visual dish of delectable contrasts
Verde Mini Totems
Inspired by the James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, Cabbage, new asparagus and warm
nut milk, I have expressed the gathered ingredients in the form of Verde- mini totems.
The textures of charred asparagus in form and colour and the fluidity of the warm nut milk,
wrap, around the repurposed concrete, interpreted through fabric , texture and paper.
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Standing Cherry 01
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ’Cherries, soured cream, buckwheat andliquorice’ as my culinary muse, set me on the path to explore the colours and textures of this visual feast.
I looked at the image of the horizontal plated dish and visualised it as a vertical plate.
The ceramic plate being interpreted as a gathered element of shredded and recycled archived paper, the plated culinary elements becoming applied elements: the scoop of cherry sorbet creating the negative shape on the left and right hand sides of the ‘plate’,
the central area representing pitted cherries and liquorice gel lying beneath a surface tension of ’buckwheat rocks’, (string knitting).
A visual celebration of summer memories.
Standing Cherry 02
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ’Cherries, soured cream, buckwheat and liquorice’
as my culinary muse, set me on the path to explore the colours and textures of this visual feast.
I looked at the image of the horizontal plated dish and visualised it as a vertical plate.
The ceramic plate being interpreted as a gathered element of shredded and recycled archived
paper, the plated culinary elements becoming applied elements: the scoop of cherry sorbet
creating the boat like shape at the top of the ‘plate’. The lower element a delicious mound
of deep pitted cherries moulded with the liquorice gel of black string knitting.
Earthly Delight 03
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ’Set milks, onion caramel, oregano and barley’ as
my culinary muse, set me on the path to explore the colours and textures of this visual
feast.
Earthly Delight 03 takes the colour and over scaled shape of barley, the hint of
translucency in the dish interpreted with the use of delicately applied, brown paper,
layered, in a similar way to the plated dish. The outer surface wrapping, of various
strings, is reminiscent of the high notes of the oregano leaves and onion flowers.
Earthly Delight 02
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ’Set milks, onion caramel, oregano and barley’ as
my culinary muse, set me on the path to explore the colours and textures of this visual
feast.
Earthly Delight 02 takes the texture of barley, the bulbous onion shape, the principle of
gathering from the environment , interpreted with recycled shredded archived paper
with hints of hidden oregano coloured paper, internally wrapped with string like the
edge of cooked onions. For a dining experience to remember.
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Earthly Delight 01 (shredded)
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ’Set milks, onion caramel, oregano and barley’ as
my culinary muse, set me on the path to explore the colours and textures of this visual
feast.
Earthly delight 01 (shredded) takes the colour of the barley and the texture of the
whole dish as it melds and connects with each element , interpreted with recycled
shredded brown paper and hidden oregano coloured string from Bangladesh as a
counterfoil to the delicate onion flower white petals.
Fire, earth, water
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ’Fire-pit beetroots with leather jacket
cheeks’ as my culinary muse, set me on the path to explore the colours and
textures of this visual feast.
The fire element of the burning coals, the blackened skin of the earthy
beetroots, being dropped onto the hot coals combined with the water
element of leather jackets, inspired the textures of layering and surface
patternisation of my vessel.
This sculpture is visually robust, the leather jacket cheeks represented in the rope wrapping,
encasing the form.
Ode to the Feijoa
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ’Fallen Feijoas with almond milk’ as my
culinary muse, set me on the path to explore the colours and textures of this visual feast.
The shapes of the various elements of this extraordinary dish, inspired the over scaled bulbous form of this vessel, my largest work to date.
The puffed amaranth dictated the knitted string outer casing pulled tightly over the feijoa flesh coloured form. The enormous scale of this work is a focal point of the room, my tactile and visual feast.
We stood as trees and gathered our senses 01, 02, 03, 04, 05
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ’Clams, charcoal, smoked roe and pickled spent lettuce’
as my culinary muse, set me on the path to explore the colours and textures of this visual feast.
I imagined the burnt charcoaled trunks of trees, combining the variegated umbers and lineal
textures of clam shells, highlighted with hints of smoked roe (russet silk ribbon) and a hint of
pickled spent lettuce (random green string).
My forest of trees, gather our senses of sight, smell and touch, enticing the memory of taste.
Mum’s white rose
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ‘Mum’s roses’ as my culinary muse, set me on the
path to explore the colours and textures of this visual feast.
The name of the dish conjured up images of a delectable old fashioned afternoon tea,
complete with crocheted lace table, a Victorian sponge, rose petals and vanilla cream.
The essence, visually to me of James dish is translucency, hence handmade rice paper
as my chosen medium.
Mum’s roses, golden throne
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ’ Mum’s roses’ as my culinary muse, set me on the
path to explore the colours and textures of this visual feast.
The name of the dish conjured up images of a delectable old fashioned afternoon tea,
complete with crocheted lace table, a Victorian sponge, rose petals and vanilla cream.
The neck of the vessel echoing the peaches and nectarines in the recipe. The essence,
visually to me of James’ dish is translucency, hence handmade rice paper as my chosen
medium.
Mum’s roses, Lace
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ’Mum’s roses’ as my culinary muse, set me on the
path to explore the colours and textures of this visual feast.
The name of the dish conjured up images of a delectable old fashioned afternoon tea,
complete with crocheted lace table cloth, a Victorian sponge, rose petals and vanilla
cream.
The essence, visually to me of James’ dish is translucency, hence handmade rice paper and
a fragment of crocheted cloth as my medium.
More tea vicar?
Vessel of nourished joy 01
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ‘legumes, their flowers and fresh cheese’ as my
culinary muse, set me on the path to explore the colours and textures of this visual feast.
The textured tentacles, of fresh sugar snap pea vines entwined within a broad bean inspired
vessel, knitting the colour of the new pea flowers, encase the pod.
Platter of plenty
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ’Sorrel and fennel sorbet, blueberries and
garden lavender’ as my culinary muse, set me on the path to explore the colours and
textures of this visual feast.
The scoop of fennel sorbet inspired the vessel form encased with steeped blueberry
coloured fabric. The surface textile is a repurposed silk reminiscent of the chlorophyll
greens and the patterns of fennel stems.
Vessel of nourished joy 03
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ’legumes, their flowers and fresh cheese’ as my culinary muse, set me on the path to explore the colours and textures of this visual feast.
The textured tentacles of fresh sugar snap pea vines and the purple of radish flowers with hints of the whey like string entwine this broad bean inspired vessel.
Vessel of nourished joy 02
Having James Viles’ (Biota) plated dish, ’ legumes, their flowers and fresh cheese’ as my
culinary muse, set me on the path to explore the colours and textures of this visual feast.
Knitting the colour of the new pea flowers, encase the broad bean like pod, the interior taking
its cue from the royal purple of radish flowers.