Resilience by Debie Cody-Holland

Sculpture/Vessel

Copper, 533 Liquid Enamel, Liver of Sulfur

Sawing, Bending, Soldering, Enameling, Patina + Fred Ball Technique with 533 Liquid Enamel

5.5 X 5.5 X 5.5 inches

Debie Cody-Holland – grew up in a family of plant lovers. Her mom had a very green thumb & a beautiful garden. Debie’s uncles and brother were all in the Horticulture industry. She received her degree in Ornamental Horticulture from Texas A&M University. Upon retiring from the nursery industry after 40+ years, her love of all things plants has moved into the art of enameling. With each semester she learns new reasons to love enameling, and is definitely challenged by the assignments. Debie loves to travel, and much of what she sees in her travels these days is through a lens of “how can I make that into an enamel piece?”
Artist Statement: Dandelion – The dandelion Is a symbol of growth, hope, and healing. I found a poem that reminded me of my niece: “The dandelion is a symbol of survival, this we know is true. Gentle, yet strong and resilient…the very definition of you.” My niece is one of my heroes- she’s had multiple surgeries through the years, and cancer two times…taking it all in stride and showing such strength and resilience. While we don’t love Dandelions in our perfectly manicured lawns, they have a lot to offer as a food source, and some medicinal values. This perennial plant flourishes in some of the harshest conditions, returning year after year no matter what the world throws at it.
The assignment was to make something using some of the techniques of Fred Ball. A Dandelion themed piece has been on my list for at least a year, so this seemed like the perfect time. The use of the 533 liquid enamel and the Fred Ball technique of sgraffito and spraying around a stencil seemed like a perfect match in producing this tissue box.