Megan Atkins

BA (Hons) Artist Designer Maker

A picture of Megan

I am fascinated by how flower buds develop, grow, and then blossom into beautiful flowers. After lying dormant throughout the winter period, the bud is one of the first signs of the new beginnings for a plant. Moreover, the bud appears to start as a simple form from the outside, but upon closer observation under a microscope, it reveals fascinating intricacies. Additionally, each bud is unique in its own way, and although they have similar features none of flower buds are identical. Within the last year, the Coronavirus pandemic has impacted our normal way of living. As we now move towards easing restrictions and start to live a new sense of normal, this can be represented by the emerging growth of the bud, a new beginning. Since the restrictions and for all of us to spend time outdoors we have become more aware of our surrounding environment and nature has become more important than ever. I decided to focus my work on the detail of flower buds that we are not normally able to see. I did this by dissecting buds and then studying them with a microscope. I then interpreted my observations in different mediums eventually focusing on creating my ideas on the laser cutter. The shapes of my lights resemble a flower bud shape to produce my lamps. Lamps are used to provide light within the dark. This can be seen to represent the hope to illuminate the world after the dark period of the pandemic.


Mae’r ffordd y mae blagur blodau’n datblygu, yn tyfu ac yna’n blodeuo’n flodau hardd yn fy nghyfareddu. Ar ôl iddynt fod yn segur trwy gydol cyfnod y gaeaf, mae’r blaguryn yn un o arwyddion cyntaf dechreuad newydd y planhigyn. At hynny, mae’r blaguryn i’w weld yn dechrau fel ffurf syml o’r tu allan, ond wrth arsylwi’n agosach o dan ficrosgop, mae’n datgelu cymhlethdodau cyfareddol. At hynny, mae pob blaguryn yn unigryw yn ei ffordd ei hun, ac er bod ganddynt nodweddion tebyg nid oes yr un o flagur y blodau yn union yr un fath. Dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, mae pandemig y Coronafeirws wedi effeithio ar ein ffordd arferol o fyw. Wrth i ni symud yn awr tuag at lacio’r cyfyngiadau a dechrau ymdeimlad newydd o fyw yn normal, gall hyn gael ei gynrychioli gan dwf newydd y blaguryn, dechrau newydd. Ers y cyfyngiadau ac i bob un ohonom dreulio amser yn yr awyr agored rydym wedi dod yn fwy ymwybodol o’r amgylchedd sydd o’n cwmpas ac mae natur wedi mynd yn bwysicach nag erioed. Penderfynais ffocysu fy ngwaith ar fanylion blagur blodau na allwn eu gweld fel arfer. Fe wnes i hyn drwy ddatgymalu blagur ac yna eu hastudio gyda microsgop. Yna, dehonglais fy arsylwadau mewn gwahanol gyfryngau gan ganolbwyntio yn y pen draw ar greu fy syniadau ar y torrwr laser. Mae siapiau fy goleuadau yn debyg i siâp blagur blodau i gynhyrchu fy lampau. Defnyddir lampau i ddarparu golau o fewn y tywyllwch. Gellir gweld bod hyn yn cynrychioli’r gobaith o oleuo’r byd ar ôl cyfnod tywyll y pandemig.

Megan's workspace. A white desk in front of a window. Megan is working at her laptop and one of her desk lights is stood next to her.

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