The Amber Rooms

I was invited to join three established Newcastle artists to create artworks responding to the Amber Room, a chamber containing priceless Russian treasures. I was enthralled by the opulence and reflective glamour of the room and decided to explore artworks using mirrors.

I trawled markets and second-hand stores searching for antique mirrors in any condition.  I favoured clipped-edged, or uniquely shaped mirrors, without etching.  I freed the mirrors from their architecture, and once the mirror was revealed, I used an etching tool to draw an image into the back in reverse as for intaglio printing. Once the image was drawn, I used spray enamel paint to colour the lines. Once dry, I reassembled the mirror with a newly cut backing board, new clips and hanging chains. Most of the images I drew were plants from my garden as well as a local mangrove for which I am particularly fond.