HANNAH NORTHWARD

‘Solar Spheres / Stellar Shadows’ explores the subject of Heliology - the study of the sun, and everything it influences. It specifically focuses on the subjects of sunspots and space weather, in order to answer the question:

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“How can metalwork and etching be creatively utilised to further understand and demonstrate heliology research?” 

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Influenced the study of historical and current solar research, including Galileo’s ‘Letters on Sunspots’, and up-to-date space weather forecasting, I developed a design process that utilised sunlight as both an inspiration, and a tool for melting silver.

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Solar Spheres: Created by magnified sunlight, these necklaces adorn the body with representations of sunspot data. 

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Stellar Shadows: Observe the shadow of a dish designed by the sun, with details extracted from a Solar Sphere via etching.

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These pieces subtly convey a message of curiosity and awe. Displayed together, they create an experience for the viewer to observe in detail the results of my Fresnel lens experiments, demonstrating a sustainable method of ‘solar-melting’ for craft and design purposes.

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The use of a warm spotlight and gold-plated metals conveys imagery of the sun, along with providing a sense of value and significance to the work. I designed these pieces to inspire further solar research and to encourage the viewer to consider new ways in which the sun can be used for sustainable design.