Meristem Influences

Edward Mortimer had eight main influences when designing his fruit bowl, the "Meristem", each of which he included in the design process that allowed him to come to his final design. These eight are as follows:

1/ Lightning strikes - The way electricity searches in all different directions with smaller bolts, and once the bolt finds a way to go, a large amount of electricity follow the trail, making the bolt bigger and brighter is very interesting. It is very curious how similar the bolts look to veins in the human body or branches and roots on a tree. This is particularly interesting as lightning bolts forming would be a time lapse of a tree growing toward the light.

2/ Smoke - The way smoke swirls through the sky, reacting from different air pressures is another aesthetically interesting phenomenon. The 3D swirling is a very interesting concept and could result in a well formed bowl.

3/ Trees - Looking through a dense area of branches at the sky is very interesting as you are able to see the way the branches wind and weave through each other to create a magnificent image of the way trees grow. Looking at this also shows the similarity of this and lightning bolts and human veins, among other things.

 

4/ Oil swirls on water - The way different types of oil form a layer over water is a very interesting process, as the outcome is a spectrum of colours presented in swirl patterns, which can be manipulated and played with by swirling the water.

5/ Roots - The way roots grow and develop is a very inspiring process and would create a very interesting fruit bowl. When looked at a closer detail, the growing process of fruits is very similar to that of the branches, with small limbs going in search for something (whether it be water. nutrients or light) and once the search has completed, the small limb grows significantly, and becomes a major limb in the growing network of roots.
 

6/ Trees - This image once again depicts the vein-like nature of branches, when looked through at the sky. Another phenomenon that works in the same way is rivers flowing water down a hill to the sea.
 

7/ Wood grain - The style of wood grains is also something that has many different aspects that inspire. The way the layers bulge and effect each other is similar to swirls and oil on water, making it another natural phenomenon that is common among uncommon means.
 

8/ Spider Webs - The structural nature of a spider web makes it look very interesting, especially when they reach out in a variety of different directions. The use of angles and different shapes - particularly the triangle, make it clear to see just how the spider web works and why.

-Edward Mortimer