German Artist Uses Dried Leaves To Make Delicate Crocheted Sculptures

Susanna Bauer does the seemingly impossible — she crochets fragile leaves, transforming them into miniature sculptures.

“There is a fine balance in my work between fragility and strength; literally, when it comes to pulling a fine thread through a brittle leaf or thin dry piece of wood,” she said.

“I work with found natural objects. Leaves, stones, pieces of wood…ephemeral things, easily overlooked,” said the 46-year-old artist.


“I use crochet; sometimes as embellishment, but mostly in a more unconventional way as a means of sculpture and construction.”

Born in Germany, Bauer is currently based in Cornwall, UK. For one to truly appreciate her impressive craftsmanship, one must consider the fragility of her medium of choice. If handled carelessly, dried leaves easily break and crumble into dust.

But when she’s working, Bauer’s focus is intense, almost meditative, as her fingers delicately weave thread through every fragile leaf.

bauer

In her expert hands, the leaves turn into beautiful pieces of embroidery, some of them torn apart and sewn back together.

Bauer also transforms leaves into impossible-looking cubes, tunnels, and geometric patterns.



You can see more of Bauer’s work on her Facebook page.