Taking up the challenge

"Do not bore. Do not be obvious."

Hamilton Easter Field

Back in December I extended a challenge to artists of any medium to make an original work inspired by the photograph at the end of this post. It's something that caught my eye but I have not been able to figure out what to do with it myself. I was curious what others might do with it, whether it be in fiber, with paint, with sculpture. It never occurred to me that someone's medium might be food! My niece has been doing a lot of culinary experimenting lately and decided to make the above upside down pear gingerbread cake as her response.

I was so impressed with the thought she put into this, presenting an "artist's statement" worthy of any exhibit:


"I thought the photo spoke of layers, soft and hard support, hardness of stone, the softness of grass. There is also a melding and mixture of the two, and a rather inspired conclusion that the seemingly weak (grass) can surmount the seemingly powerful (stone). Look at the grass, just growing up and around, no matter, I'll just grow here instead of there. Much like faith in the face of adversity."


"Well cake is not quite capable of such nuanced meaning but this does have a juxtaposition of round (stone/cake) and angular disarray (grass/pears), the soft covering the hard, with both providing different types of support, some additive (grass/pears), some formative (stone/cake base)."

I was surprised I didn't have more takers - Perhaps the timing wasn't right being around the holidays. Would anyone else like to try?