Last month at IDS 12, the first booth I felt compelled to investigate was that of Crowe River Studio. One glance at their art on display literally stopped me in my tracks.  The artist has named his pieces “Earthskins” and I can’t think of a more apt and beautiful name for this art.

The artist, Richard Watts, builds layers of gauze and natural latex and allows the material to take an imprint of select surfaces found in the Canadian Shield.  In the photo above, the imprint was made from the material being wrapped around the trunk of a tree.

In this piece, if you look closely, the circular imprint at the center was made from porcupine quills. Isn’t that amazing?

I also love how the translucent material allows the light to shine through, highlighting every intricate detail.   Any of these pieces would add a uniquely beautiful, warm glow to any room.

The artist describes his work with “skin and bones” as a deeply spiritual process.  You can read more about his approach in his Statement here.