Sculpturally Speaking
FALL-WINTER INDOOR
EXHIBITS
By Robin Salmon, Vice-President of Art and Historical Collections/Curator of Sculpture
Wildfl owers:
Botanical Sculpture by
Trailer McQuilkin
An amazing exhibit of 18 native
wildfl owers in sculpture is on view in the
Stanley and Naomi Bleifeld Gallery through
April 22, 2018. New Orleans native Trailer
McQuilkin has lived and worked in Ocean
Springs, Mississippi, for the past 35 years. In
1969, he began experimenting with methods
of creating wildfl ower sculptures in metal.
He soon found that imitating nature is a
diffi cult process. He steadily gained mastery
of this form and continues to hone his skills
and to refi ne his materials and techniques.
Th e artist uses sheet copper, copper
wire, metal primer, oil paints, and natural
materials in his work. His techniques
include cutting, soldering, incising, and
painting. Each step is performed with
precise attention to detail and each sculpture
has special challenges. It takes from two to
fi ve months to complete each piece. Careful
examination of the fi nished sculptures
reveals that his work is faithful to nature by
documenting color variations, textures, and
even weather and insect damage.
Mostly self-taught, Trailer McQuilkin
has achieved the highest level of skill and
artistry, producing complex and beautiful
microhabitats. His work has taken him
from the North Pole Basin at Crested
Butte, Colorado, to ranches in Texas, to
the wetlands of Georgia. His meticulous
study of each plant and his rare talent have
provided a great study of these fragile plants
and their environments, which many of
us will never have the opportunity to see.
Into the future, his collections will amaze,
delight, and educate the viewer about
threatened fl ora.
A color catalogue of his work is available
in Keepsakes, and all of the wildfl ower
sculptures are for sale with a percentage
of each sale going to the Sculpture
Purchase Fund. Th ree of the sculptures are
displayed in vases made by Jim Anderson
of Shearwater Pottery in Ocean Springs,
Mississippi. Four sculptures are wall
hangings and 11 are stunning centerpieces
for mantels or tables. All of the sculptures
come with beautifully-made bases and
display cases. Trailer McQuilkin will give a
public program and book-signing, which
will be announced.
Evening Primrose (Oenothera speciosa) by Trailer McQuilkin