Redwood burl, 5.75 X 4.5 inches; turned, carved and sandblasted.
The inspiration for this piece comes from scanning electron micrographs of the seed of Castilleja, a hemiparasitic plant in Orobanchaceae. The outer wall of the seed coat collapses in the mature seed, leaving deep cells that surround the inner seed coat. I spent a few years as a graduate student learning how to be a SEM jockey. I always enjoyed the surprises that emerged on the screen when looking at seeds and pollen grains at high magnification.
