The matchstick experiments led to me trying the same techniques using large scale materials, such as hazel sticks. Again these were done using balance and nothing else. The shapes they made were more organic and less precise but still had the same effect.
Matchsticks have been used in ‘craft’ for a long time, but usually alongside glue. Here I took the idea of building towers and geometric shapes with matchsticks to the next level and used nothing but balance to hold them up. These pieces took me a long time to create and are entirely experimental.
Continuing to experiment with everyday materials, I played around with drinking straws. These are all entirely balanced, there was NO GLUE involved at all. This took a lot of patience as straws are quite light and are easy to blow over. the shapes they create are very geometric and natural. The curve from the straight lines of the straws took a while to get right but the effect is quite pleasing.
While experimenting with everyday materials, I came across a bunch of rubber bands and pins. With geometry on my mind, these small experiments took form. The spiral was an adaptation on the original experiment but the shape reminded me of the Fibonacci spiral. This led me back to natural forms later on.
Gwyneth Machin 