I am working on an installation inspired by the wallpaper and fabric patterns of Arts and Crafts designer William Morris, especially his most famous work titled “The Strawberry Thief.” I will individually sculpt thousands of leaf, flower, fruit and bird forms, which will be connected into an interlocking three dimensional wallpaper pattern that will span over 100 square feet. The plant elements will be made of the same materials as my previous work: reclaimed wood from deconstructed homes, or ornate picture frames, rulers, decorative fruit, toys, and cooking utensils. No found object will be easily recognizable. The pieces in the center of this installation will be harmonious, but as your eye moves towards the edges and to the parts growing onto the adjacent wall and floor, the flora and fauna will become more wild and unusual in form and behavior. These elements will break from their patterned routines, craning towards the light coming from the open ceiling above. A bird might now turn its head to peer at the viewer, a provocative object held in its beak.

A monochromatic carpet will fill much of the floor space of the gallery, and it will be apparent that some of the vines coming from the main wall have been covered by this surface, similar to the black ground cloth we use to smother unruly growth on an urban plot of land. These vines have traveled beneath the surface, however, sprouting up in far corners again. Like the edges of the wall installation, these plants are slightly changed when they re-emerge. This not only is a nod to the long running themes in my own artwork, but also a nod to Morris, whose outspoken political views made him a controversial figure in his time.

One of Morris’ most famous quotes is: “Have nothing in your houses which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” As an homage to this concept, the components of this installation are actually wall-mounted brooches and tie-tacks. Eight pieces that extend from the wall to the floor are neckpieces.

Most of the funding levels for this project will reward Kickstarter backers with one or more brooches or necklaces from this installation. All work will be signed and numbered on the back, and then collected in an online flickr album, so supporters can choose their piece before the general public.

Please note that most of the work you see in this video is still unfinished. The brooch that you see coming off the wall and pinning to my sweater is an example of a finished piece. But never fear: I will update the page here with links to my blog, where I’m chronicling the creation of this complex project and will show finished pieces as they emerge. Visit my blog at http://www.hilarypfeifer.blogspot.com or see other projects from the past decade at my website http://www.hilarypfeifer.com

This will be my most intricate installation yet, so I will use Kickstarter funding to hire a team of professional jewelers and craftspeople to help me with the detailed construction work that this project requires. http://kck.st/dldIA8

Reconnecting Children with Families is a local, non-profit program that searches for long lost relatives for children who have been in foster care for so long that they’ve become disconnected from their family of origin. Often called the loneliest children, RCWF’s mission is to create lifelong family connections for these youth so that even if they can’t go home, they’ll always have a family.

We are currently looking for a volunteer artist to paint a large tree mural on the wall in the Beaverton DHS Child Welfare office, to provide a beautiful, visual depiction of our progress as well as the continued need for family connections. If you are interested in using your artistic talents to help kids in foster care, please contact RCWF Coordinator Sarah Kopplin at (503) 277-1703 or

Thank you!