April Hannah is a sculptural-based designer, whose inherent interest is transforming material through form. April examines the creative process across media and through multiple generations. The structure of The Lotus Collection was discovered by April while playing with her son, as she noticed how a particular modeling toy of his interlocked and transformed. After borrowing an appropriately shaped form from one of her large Totem sculptures, April produced a prototype of The Lotus Dining Table with six, interlocking plywood pieces.
“I like to think the functional pieces I create exhibit a simple sophistication and playful nature. I strive to transcend the banal and create an unpredictable universe of meditative energy and childlike wonder.”
– April Hannah
The process April uses to create paintings and sculptures is an attempt to mimic the systems of growth and evolution found in nature. Using basic materials (charcoal, wood, paper, canvas) and elementary mark making techniques (scribbling, tracing, repetition), forms organically emerge from within the chaos of creation. April sees these resulting forms as “DNA blueprints” for further exploration – each form evolving into another within each painting or sculpture. The technique is simple and the process is meditative, and like nature, an underlying intelligence exists within.
The Lotus Collection
Each consisting of six interlocking pieces, the Lotus Dining Table and Lotus Cocktail Table classically evoke the mandala form of the lotus in unexpected stone.
“The form of the Lotus Table, like the lotus flower rising above the surface of the muddy water from which it grows, takes shape within a muddled web of chaos. The lotus flower symbolizes spiritual awakening and enlightenment. In Taoism, as in nature, paradox is a driving force. It is the emptiness of the vase that holds the water. Being is non-being. Serenity is found when we let go and just be. This is how I approach enlightenment.”
– April Hannah
April’s Biography
After working for several years as a graphic designer in the city where she was raised (Erie, Pennsylvania) April Hannah moved to NYC in 1999, to pursue an MFA at the School of Visual Arts (SVA). Upon graduation, Hannah established a studio in DUMBO, Brooklyn, where she produces abstract paintings and sculptures inspired by patterns and networks found in nature and urban environments.
For more information on the Agata Granite Lotus Dining Table, or if you are interested in customizing the Lotus Dining Table using one of Aria Stone Gallery’s natural stones, contact the Aria Stone Gallery showroom in either Houston or Dallas for pricing and customizing options.
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Designing with Textured Surfaces Using Natural Stone
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