Importance Of Trees

LAST TO SURRENDER

For my tree the seasons are changing from autumn to winter. The leaves of summer have all moved on from their home except for one holdout. Can you find the “Last To Surrender?”

My leaf is an individual that doesn’t follow the group. He is holding out. He is waiting for the right wind to take him on an adventure all his own.

SPECIFICATIONS

Height: 27 inches
Width - 22 inches
Depth - 1.5 inches

MATERIALS

Steel plate, Steel rod, Weld, Copper, Clear Powder Coat

STATUS

Available for purchase

BOTTLE TREES

Most believe that bottle trees got their roots in the Congo area of Africa in the 9th Century A.D. and that the practice was brought over by slaves who hung blue bottles from trees and huts to ward off evil spirits. But after some research, it’s now believed that bottle trees and their lore go back much farther in time, and originate farther north. It’s also believed that the superstitions surrounding them were embraced by most ancient cultures.

Although glass was made by man as early as 3500 B.C. in northern Africa, hollow glass bottles began appearing around 1600 B.C. in Egypt and clear glass was invented in Alexandria around 100 A.D.

Tales began to circulate that spirits could live in bottles - probably from when people heard sounds caused by wind blowing over bottle openings. It is believed that the spirits are dazzled by the colors of the bottles in the sun. Once they enter the bottle, they can't find their way out, much like flies. Legend had it that empty glass bottles placed outside the home could "capture" roving (usually evil) spirits at night, and the spirit would be destroyed the next day in the sunshine.

Blue is a favorite choice of bottle tree lovers. Many believe blue bottles contain healing qualities. Whatever your color of choice for a bottle tree, know that it is from a long tradition of trapping and keeping bad things away.

Bottle trees are very popular now and have been featured as accessories in some of the prestigious flower show garden displays all over the world. I’ve seen many bottle trees and found them to be static not organic in design. That wouldn’t work for me. So for these two commissioned trees I needed to look no further than nature itself for my inspiration.

SPECIFICATIONS

Height: varies depending on wants of customer and area of placement
Width - varies depending on wants of customer and area of placement
Depth - varies depending on wants of customer and area of placement

MATERIALS

Steel rebar, sheet metal, various colored bottles provided by the customer

STATUS

NOT AVAILABLE. In the private collections of two friends