Patterns and form in nature have inspired artists and designers throughout history. The microscopic drifting organisms that populate the oceans and great lakes, the plankton, are subject to very different physical forces to those that develop shape and form in larger organisms such as alleviaton of gravity. As a consequence they have developed unique forms, architectures, kinetics and complex symmetries uncommon in larger and terrestrial forms. This source of inspiration was revolutionised by the production of microscopes and technologies necessary for determining the patterning and order of biological structures on the minutest of scales It was not just artists who were inspired, but the scientists themselves who were often driven to develop new technology in a quest for discovering more of the wonder of Nature’s design. At the end of the 19th Century this was superbly exemplified in the depiction of the microscopic forms of planktonic organisms that until then had been invisible to those studying the waters of lakes, rivers and the oceans. There can be no better example of this inspirational movement than the work of the zoologist and artist, Ernst Haeckel whose illustrations of marine organisms influenced the Art Nouveau movement. However, inspiring such illustrations can be, nothing can compare with observing the movements, interactions and kaleidoscope of patterns, colour and forms of living plankton. This is not generally available to artists and designers as the collecting of fresh material and its visualisation requires specialist skills and considerable investment in equipment. Thus, they are left to see this world through the conditioned eyes of scientists. In PLANKTON ART designer makers Louise Hibbert and Sarah Parker- Eaton have formed a partnership to investigate plankton for themselves, and relate their observations in a unique collection of work made in wood, silver and gold.

Louise Hibbert is a designer-maker who graduated from University of Brighton in 1994 with a BA (Hons) in 3D design -specialising in Wood and Plastics. She makes a range of practical items (salt and pepper mills, bottle stoppers) but recently has been focusing much more on creating her whimsical one-off pieces – boxes and vessels. Her ideas derive from an exploration of form, texture, colour and symmetry. Inspiration has always been dominated by a fascination with the natural world, particularly marine life, and Louise uses wood to reproduce and emphasise certain decorative aspects that these creatures possess and combine them into single pieces. After careful planning on paper each piece originates on the lathe and then carving, airbrushed inks, and applied resins are used to create the required effects. The majority of her work is made from native kiln-dried timbers. Sycamore is a favourite as it has a pale, even grain to act as a blank canvas for her designs and a wonderful translucent quality that makes the colours glow in a similar way to those of the creatures which inspire her work. Sarah Parker-Eaton is a jeweller working with precious metals, graduating from the University of Northumbria in 1988 with a BA (Hons) in 3D Design, after which she spent time training with jewellers and silversmiths. Sarah set up her own workshop in Sarah is inspired by a diverse selection of marine fauna, plankton and fossils. Her jewellery explores the elements of these creatures that attract her such as articulation, surface patterns and form. Her newest designs based on her observations of varied marine fauna and plankton,. This has led her to make strange stalked creatures that could have emerged from mud flats and spiky beasts that would be more at home on rocky shores. Sarah has also been working on a series that resemble large molluscs. Her work begins on paper as a series of sketches mainly done in the Natural History Museum library in London. These are re-drawn repeatedly until a particular design emerges. She then begins to work in silver and gold, hammering out the bulging shapes and allowing the piece to develop further. Some pieces have been pierced through with forged tendrils and others appear to be kept afloat with small domed silver air sacks. Most of Sarah’s work is given a sheeny satin finish or a darker oxidized look and details such as tiny gold bobbles are highlighted with a polish