2016 has been a right old year for Iconic Loss. With the harbinger of Bowie’s passing we should’ve sensed more was coming, but we didn’t. Then Alan Rickman happened. And Prince. And then Gene Wilder. Leonard Cohen was the last straw. We officially defriended 2016. Instead of our usual Christmas wreaths we wanted to honour, and celebrate, these passionate artists. They have touched so many lives and so, this year, we wanted to dedicate our wreaths in memory of them.
For Bowie it was simple. Aladdin Sane’s graphic Flash is instantly recognisable David Bowie. It’s synonymous. We layered an acrylic graphic with Christmas ilex berries and, of course, a healthy dose of glam rock glitter!
For Alan Rickman, there were just too many fabulous roles for us to choose from. He was the ultimate baddie, from Hans Gruber in Die Hard to the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood. But it was his baddie turned goodie role which we loved the most; Professor Snape in Harry Potter. We wanted to capture his darkness, his layer upon layer of black on black and his magical, tortured spirit. Blackened birch and golden curl branches are intertwined with velvet and satin and surround a black acrylic glittery ‘Expecto Patronus’, the most protective of spells which conjures one’s Guardian.
For Prince, we wanted to create a piece which would emulate his sensuality, extravagance and multidimensionality. We were inspired by his effortless sartorial elegance, the distinctive velvet, the textured frills and, of course, the colour Purple. We created a bold, rich and sexy garland predominantly decorated with giant teardrop calla lilies, with tulips at their heart, reminiscent for us of the genius of Purple Rain. They lay on a bed of hydrangea petals, interspersed with dark, spicy scabiosa.
For Gene Wilder, watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory every year at Christmas was just a given. It was utter magical nostalgia. We loved his attire, his top hat, flamboyant bow tie and Liberty-esque flowery shirt. We drew on these elements to create his wreath using brightly delicious carnations and starlike tonal astranthia.
Our final wreath for Leonard Cohen could only have been an expression of the strength of his words. Words have Power and Cohen was a Master. We decided his colossal poetry would speak for itself and so displayed his woodcut lyrics simply on a mossed frame with its beautifully earthy texture.
We hope you enjoy our wreaths.