Gray Chromatic Crystals

This Gray Chromatic Crystals wall sculpture by Chloe Hedden and Bill Hedden explores the growth forms of the mineral quartz— a classic crystalline form that grows in clusters.

This father-daughter duo creates sculptures out of 'paulownia' wood, inspired by Sarah Hedden's (Chloe's sister) dedication to Japanese Tea Ceremony. The official wood of Sarah's school of tea, paulownia has some very desirable attributes for sculpture— namely that it is lightweight, yet very fine grained so that it takes detail well. It is also abundant and fast growing.

In this series, the two artists create hollow boxes out of wood and then carefully interconnect them in a complex and painstaking joinery process. Essentially, the sculptures in this series grow in a way that mimics the natural crystals while simultaneously bringing these tiny minerals into a larger than life scale. The final result is then painted and finished in glitter to create the effects of light, shadow, and matte areas.

For the viewer, this coating creates beautiful effects with light as it is ever changing from all angles and is quite sparkly. Natural imperfections in the surface create a Wabi Sabi effect. The final result is opulent but earthy, and geometric while still feeling organic.