30 Women, 30 Careers: Celebrating Diversity
Career — Horticulturist
A woman whose knowledge of plants has become part of her very being — surrounded by cauliflower forms, leaves, roots and botanical imagery, her body becomes a living landscape where horticulture and the human form meet.
A horticulturist is a person who studies, grows and cares for plants, including fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants. Their work connects scientific knowledge with the cultivation and care of the natural world.
This sculpture explores the close relationship between a horticulturist and the plants she dedicates her life to growing.
Rather than representing the profession through gardening tools or a conventional garden scene, I wanted the plants themselves to become part of the woman.
Cauliflower forms grow across her head and continue around the back of her body, transforming her hair and silhouette into something botanical and organic. On the front of the figure, large leaves emerge from the body, while smaller leaves rise from the centre of the neckline towards the lower face, becoming almost like a garment.
Roots extend from the side of her face and travel down towards her neck and shoulder, creating the impression that the natural world is beginning to grow directly from within her.
The sculpture asks where the boundary lies between the person who cultivates nature and the nature she cultivates.
The horticulturist represents a woman whose work requires patience, observation and an understanding of growth.
Plants cannot simply be forced to flourish. They require the right conditions, attention and time. In many ways, this mirrors the quiet qualities represented by the figure herself.
Her lowered posture and visible arms create a calm, grounded presence. Rather than appearing to perform a particular task, she seems immersed in the world she cares for.
The sculpture celebrates the idea that when someone dedicates themselves deeply to their work, that work can become part of their identity — so deeply that the distinction between the person and what they nurture begins to disappear.
Cauliflower forms cover the woman’s head and continue across the back of her body. The cauliflower becomes an unusual and recognisable botanical element, transforming the surface of the figure while also suggesting abundance, cultivation and growth. The repeated forms create texture and rhythm across the sculpture.
From behind, the cauliflower takes over almost entirely.
Three prominent leaves emerge across the front of the figure. One large leaf extends from the shoulder, while two smaller leaves grow from the centre near the neckline and extend towards the lower face. Their arrangement gives the impression of botanical clothing — as though the woman is dressed in the plants she cultivates.
Root-like forms extend from the side of the face towards the neck and shoulder. The roots suggest connection, nourishment and the hidden systems that sustain plant life. Their position on the body also symbolises the deep connection between the horticulturist and the living world she works with.
Two plant images are incorporated into the front of the torso using underglaze and glazed transfers. These flatter botanical images contrast with the three-dimensional cauliflower and leaf forms, creating another layer of visual language across the figure.
Flat blue botanical transfers set against the modelled forms.
The front and back of the sculpture deliberately offer different experiences. The front focuses on leaves, botanical imagery and the human figure, while the back becomes more heavily transformed by the cauliflower forms. This encourages the viewer to move around the sculpture and discover how extensively the natural world has become part of her form.
The sculpture has been developed through hand-building, with particular attention given to creating organic textures and integrating botanical forms into the figure.
A significant part of the process has been modelling the cauliflower forms across the head and back. Building the texture gradually allows the surface to imitate the irregular, clustered structure of a cauliflower while retaining the underlying human form.
The human form established first; and the piece hollow underneath, the wall pierced so it can dry and fire safely.
The work has also involved experimenting with colour and surface treatment. The botanical transfers on the torso were applied using underglaze, while further glazing will continue to develop the surface. At this stage, the modelling is largely established, but the final surface treatment is still evolving.
Finished — fired & glazed
This piece is awaiting its bisque and glaze firing. Finished photographs will be added here once it comes out of the kiln.
For enquiries about pricing or to commission a piece, please contact lee.anchor@optusnet.com.au.