tourist tuesday and my art~crush on the willow man, london

At first glance he lifted me up and plopped me down into Alice~in~Wonderland.

I felt wee~small and the air was charged with magical pink vibes.

When I awoke that morning I had been clueless to this day's discovery.

I took a leisurely cruise to a favorite destination only to find towering alien seedpods.

I was smitten.
Smack~dab smitten.

Yes, yes, yes.
I was smitten with Tom Hare, a willow weaver of the first~court!

I wish you could have been there with me for truly this guy is an art genius.

From his sketches grow poppy seed pods of a towering height all along the English country side.

Lotus seed pods, poppy seed pods and other HUGE seed pod installations  graced the lawn just inside the entryway of The Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew.

All are part of  the ongoing celebration of  The Millennium Seed Banks Collection which you could read about over here if you are so inclined and have the time.

Me?
Well, I love the idea of seeds stored properly for All Time but I am more enchanted by the woven willows as they stand here.

I could not understand how folks could waltz on by these Tom Hare creations and not be mesmerized.

Perhaps they lack the keen eye of the experience observer which I do possess, or rather, which does possess me.

I wanted to reach over and touch the giant pods BUT I DID NOT.

I wanted to pick one up and walk out with it BUT I DID NOT.

Instead, I brought these photos back to share with you.

I dreamed deeply of planting willows along the creek bed behind my house in Florida.

I dreamed of growing willows and weaving them into seed pods of gigantic proportions.

Mostly I dreamed of all my friends falling in love with Tom Hare's art, too.

Know this--->
I would pick you up and set you down inside all my adventures if only I could.

Comments

[Stephanie]

oh...these are amazing

I completely agree...HOW could anyone simply walk by without being drawn in...EVEN if you have walked by many times before.

This is what I find hard to believe...that you can sit on stories like this for so long and not SPILL everything as soon as you get home.

I am impressed with your self control.

x..x

[rochambeau]

WOW !!
What a cool exhibit SPF!!! Tom Hare IS a genius! What a wonderland he created! This really does inspire me!! Many thanks!!
Hugs to you!

xox
Constance

[eb]

I
and mine eyes
have fallen in love
with your seed pod dude
indeed
I DO LOVE
this kind of thing
as you well know
somepinkflowers
collecting
as I do
all things seedy
and pod-like
poppies especially
trigger heart palpitations
I save these garden occurances
and others
of their ilk

thank you
for sharing this
mega
seed and pod art
I do wish
to be there
with you
seed and pod-mother
gathering...

xox - eb.

[Shelly]

Truly amazing. Such intricate work! How cool to have seen it in person. Such interesting pictures and words to absorb and escape into in your blog!

[Marilyn]

How amazing to see these in person, dear miss somepinkflowers! I would have loved seeing them there, but second best is better than not at all. Thanks for sharing them here, now you have me dreaming of willows and weaving once more. In a lifetime ago I made baskets, but so long ago I don't remember how. He has definitely perfected basket of dimension.

[grrlandog]

at first I thought it may have been Patrick Doherty, but here is someone else.
I'd feel all little and alice like too - beautiful public work.