At Manitoga, Russell Wright sought to make contact with the fluid structure and connecting patterns of the natural world, an exploration seen in his works. In ceramics, the process of firing in a kiln can create both a firm structure as well as a delicate, exterior texture in seamless harmony. Hellebore uses this phenomenon to explore the interaction between rigid structure and dynamic surface, between hard edge and soft surface.

An exploration of the formal elements of the American Modern series, as well as some of their aesthetic qualities, informs a geometrically patterned shell that houses the softer texture that extrudes from it by smashing these vase forms into a more abstracted, volumetric form, as well as a grid of hexagonal apertures from which the softer material grows from. Blossoming from Hellebore’s hard shell, petal forms delicately protrude from the rigid beams of the frame, folding into amorphous forms that cloak the defined structure beneath. These petals are formed through a series of divides and point-to-point connections, creating various iterations that aggregate across the structure, creating a greater whole surface, much like the idea  of gestalt. The resultant dynamic surface camouflages the delineated interior of the pavilion, while also paying homage to the natural beauty of Manitoga that Wright sought to personify in his work.