Senses : A Celebration

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I made this for an art competition with the theme "Alive" and submitted my entry today. Let's see where this takes me

This artwork is entirely quilled using 3mm wide strips of 218gsm cardstock by American Crafts. It is 24 by 24 inches in size and the dots on the background are done by pricking with a safety pin..

More photos on the process of this artwork being made @ www.facebook.com/quillosophy

Below is the rationale for the artwork.

"Upon deciding to embark on this artwork, I first did a little research to find out what makes people feel alive. My best friend answered food, and her face beamed with happiness at the mere thought of it. A photographer explained that taking photos made him content. Others mentioned relationships with their family and partners. Everyone seemed to feel spirited when being with someone or doing something they love.

For me, it was my passion for quilling - a paper manipulation technique that transforms strips of paper into works of wonders.

Recognizing that it would be mammoth task to convert what I learnt into a single artwork, I searched for a common concept between these answers. The result was fundamental, yet extremely profound - the use of our senses to feel. What else could allow us to feel the rapture of being alive better than our ability to see, hear, touch, taste or smell?

Sitting in front of a plate of steaming hot, freshly prepared food will not be the same without the ability to smell or taste. Digging our toes into warm sand by a beach, watching the sun set while listening to waves crashing against the shore would be simply a dream without the sense of sight, hearing and touch.

With that, I present to you my artwork which depicts five senses that give us the amazing input needed to colour our worlds and make us feel alive. The mundane body parts portrayed as vibrant, colourful art pieces in this artwork shows that every single day of our lives is already a celebration thanks to all that we are able to experience though our senses."