The Fall is a series of works that seek to uncover the complexity and variation in fall leaves.
The first in the series is titled, “Persian Ironwood, Bloedel Reserve,” and was created during an artist residency at Bloedel Reserve in the fall of 2023.
Series: The Fall
Title: Persian Ironwood, Bloedel Reserve
Year: 2023
Dimensions: 30″ W x 30″ L by 2.5″ D
Materials: Basswood panel and pine frame, acrylic paint, laser cut autumn leaves, water-based glue, UV protecting plexiglass and brass hardware
This algorithmically-generated composition is created from laser cut autumn leaves, all from the same tree. The leaves came from a tree that is emblematic to Bloedel Reserve — the Persian ironwood, or Parrotia persica, that is planted just to the right of the pond when facing the estate. This tree was planted when it was small enough to fit in a pot by Virginia Bloedel, the wife of Prentice Bloedel, in the 1960s. The algorithm in the design is based on leaf venation patterns, with the goal of creating a visual universe for reflecting on the core structures and algorithms embedded in the material itself — leaves, and the beautiful gradients seen within the colors of autumn.
This tree is the widest circumference (4’5″) Persian ironwood in the state of Washington. It is considered a “Champion Tree” based on the latest inventory of author Robert Van Pelt.