Today I’d like to share one more post about Emma Hardy’s work at the Shelburne Museum in Vermont. Across from the Borneo Shipment installation is Packages, made from brown paper and packing tape. The inspiration for this particular work, came from the sudden loss of Emma’s mother.

The installation itself is made up of five figures modeled from people in Emma’s community of Jamestown, Colorado. These figures “orbit” around a large tree with mirrors inside of it. If you listen closely the viewer can hear each heartbeat recorded from the real models, all beating in unison with the tree. When peaking into the tree the viewer becomes part of the installation by seeing their own reflection while hearing the unified heartbeats that represent “collective consciousness.”

Emma writes in her statement, “The idea stems from the fact that we all exist within our own “package” and can only know someone through their appearance and what they choose to present to the world. My intention is that an observer can relate to and find some commonality; perhaps they will find a reflection of themselves, a friend, a daughter, or parent.”

Emma Hardy’s Borneo Shipment, is a whimsical installation that brings the viewer face-to-face with life-sized jungle animals surrounding a bright orange shipping container. The glass eyes give each animal a sense of depth and softness, as if the viewer is being introduced to a new friend, rather than a wild orangutang or leopard.

In the Lighthouse Gallery at the Shelburne Museum there is currently work dedicated specifically to book arts. Among some of my favorites are Sam Ita and Matthew Reinhart. Their combined talent as paper engineers is phenomenal.

One of my favorite portions of the show was the white model and sketch displays for selected pop-up books. Shown were beginning stages of Sam Ita’s book Frankenstein and Matthew Reinhart’s book Encyclopedia Mythologica: Dragons & Monsters. (See my photos for examples of each stage in the design process.)

Some of my other favorite titles by Sam and Matthew include 20,000 Leagues under the Sea, Encyclopedia Mythologica: Gods & Heroes, and Encyclopedia Prehistorica: Dinosaurs.

While I was on vacation in Vermont a few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to have made it to the Shelburne Museum for the show Paperwork in 3D. There were three different buildings completely dedicated to paper artists of all kinds. The first artist I want to share, in a series of posts from the Paperwork in 3D show, in Michael Velliquette.

I have stumbled upon Michael’s work before, in books and on numerous blogs. However, nothing really compares to seeing his pieces in real life. His technique of layering color and texture made me giddy. I found myself wanting to look inside each and every layer. I wanted to get as close as possible and really study each piece of cut paper. His work is truly inspiring.

For more of his mythical, paper sculptures, see his new book Liars of the Unconscious. If you happen to be in Vermont, make sure to check out Paperwork in 3D running through October 30th, 2011.