Erin Brandall
The Birth of the Mother Land

Volcanoes erupt and merge with the sea and a new piece of land is created…

My piece represents the nurturing mother land that we as humans occupy.

My childhood years were spent growing up on Bruny Island, which I believe is one of the best places for a child to grow and learn. The beaches and coves, the cliffs and the bush, all had something to teach me. I played on the beaches for hours every day, imagining the most amazing sea worlds. I would trek through the bushy mountains to find hidden forest waterfalls. I learnt the values and meanings of friendship, trust, independence and love on that island. In turn, I believe Bruny Island nurtured inside, everything I needed, to grow into a strong woman with a child of her own to nurture.

My piece is a tribute to Bruny Island, using sand and seashells from its shores. The female island form is a reference to all female connection with land, but more strongly a reference to me as a female, whose childhood was nurtured by a beautiful island, which ultimately created the birth of the woman and mother in me.

I have incorporated a volcano on the left breast of the island as this represents the birthing of land. The volcano also represents the fires and strengths of the human heart.

The rivers flowing down the figure represent purity and cleansing. The waters are also a representation of fluidity in the female body.

I have incorporated the four elements, Earth, Air, Fire, Water, as I am a strong believer in these elements and the powers of the Goddess.