More on the Sterculia project - final assessment piece

I've got back to my final assessment piece recently that I started plans for in a previous post (longer ago than I care to note).  I've numbered the photos in this post as a continuation of the last post I made about this assessment piece in Module 5.
I had plenty of source material in the form of the tree formations, fruit and flower shapes / textures but how to bring them together in a designed hanging was eluding me.

11.13 Inspiration board

Sian suggested I go back to the sources and 'play a little' without too many design preconceptions so I created some boards of texture in paint and mixed media bearing in mind only the colours.

11.14a texture and colours of tree trunk
-the grittiness on the surface actually came from the pharmaceutical product which swells a bit like a gel when added to water but leaves the residue when dries

11.15 used a Paisley pattern wood block stamped in molding paste to give some relief - a nod to the Indian origins of the product

11.16

11.17 liked the allusion to a network of tree branches

11.18

These boards brought me to a conclusion that I wanted to create layers in the piece, not simply one decorated fabric, in order to give depth and texture but retain the light airiness that I'd seen in the photos taken through foliage found during my research and in the company's marketing material.

My plan is to create a lace structure as backdrop probably in wool in order to incorporate various fibres and yarns in the felting process.  There may be 2 layers of this to give depth.

11.19

This structure will span across the whole piece but there will be gradation of colour from browns to greens to ochre/burgundy from left to right and I propose 3 areas as in the (very rough) sketch in 11.20.  The first denotes the bark textures, the second branches and foliage, and the third the floral area.  The proportions are 1:2:3

11.20

I hope to have a horizontal connection through layered branches, perhaps machined cords.

I have been considering the floral aspect of this and looking at shapes other than the flower itself eg. sailing boat motif (company logo) or a motif resembling the Paisley pattern as in 11.21 to bring in the Indian connection.

11.21  paisley pattern inspired motif in cutwork lace

I'm also suggesting making motifs out of my coloured drawings, Indian newspaper script or even photos of the plant itself.  These printed onto translucent sheer fabric or a thin layer of liquid polymer clay could be cut out, stitched into and onto the felt backing, along with shisha mirrors or mosaic tiles to add a 'floral tribute'.

11.22  Printed liquid polymer clay