Dimensions: 25 x 53cm

This piece came very close to being one of Dessie’s dreaded “failed endeavours”. Collected in Mexico, it had sat in the artist’s archive for over two years and when she finally attempted to carve it, the leaf had adopted a consistency she can only refer to as “something like dry rot”. However, determined to uncover the images of the graceful swans she saw, Dessie adapted her technique to apply a minimum of detail. This compromise allowed the leaf a fighting chance to hold together until she had coated it with epoxy. The end victory is this elegant piece of art, portraying three trumpeter swans gliding along the surface of a body of water.