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Flowers bloom at Crown Perth this spring

Tanya MacNaughtonEastern Reporter

SPRING has sprung inside Crown Perth with six floral installations in bloom across the complex created by South Fremantle artist Marina Lommerse and interior designer Hayley Curnow.

The pair, who met at Curtin University, has created more than 800 handmade, hand-dyed flowers from fine Italian crepe paper, tracing paper, baking paper and netting.

Curnow said she had worked collaboratively with Lommerse for a number of years, delivering mixed media installations centred about their shared love of colour, spatial design and flowers.

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Their commissioned work at Crown Perth is the fourth in a series called The Language of Flowers and will be displayed until November 8.

“We are building on the narrative so far, extending the delight that our previous installations have brought to the public and breathing new life into this project with the introduction of new colours, flower varieties, greenery and some of Marina’s stunning botanical watercolours,” Curnow said.

“This installation celebrates spring racing with the colours, energy, warmth and spirit of spring.

“We’ve been working since June, visiting site, developing the brief with Crown, preparing a concept and making, making, making.

“I love working with Marina in a creative capacity.

“We’re an odd couple but a dynamic duo who work together to balance the complexities of the project and enjoy the process of experimenting with colour combinations, materials and manufacturing techniques.”

Lommerse said their biggest challenge was making such a large quantity of flowers (about 1600) in the timeframe, as they were all labour intensive, taking anywhere from 10 minutes to 20 hours each.

“The crepe paper we use is shipped from Italy, other trace paper is hand painted and dyed,” Lommerse said.

“Petals and leaves are hand cut, folded, glued, wired and strung to assemble.”