Description
Artist Statement:
The Glass Bonsai investigates the fragility of nature and self. This symbolism orbits around the concept of legacy verses sustainability. Each sculpture combines glassblowing techniques, glass sculpting and glass fusing to become the piece before you. The Bonsai represents balance and growth. Each of the trees are rooted on a stone of a different color. Each color stone symbolizes the attributes that an individual may be rooted in. For instance, blue represents spirituality, red represents compassion, gold represents prosperity. Being rooted in these traits gives an individual the foundation and ability to grow in the direction they want to go in life. Eventually, they make it to the apex of their life, represented by the canopy of the tree. Once we have grown to our full potential, we have the ability to provide guidance and sustenance for the next generation.
Just like a rainforest, the canopy is where the most abundant life is found, and the area above the rainforest is known as the “Emergence.” This layer where life is no longer tethered to the terrestrial foundation of life. This is represented by the additional sculptures that are added to the base of each Bonsai. The concept is that once an individual is rooted confidently in the attributes that define their self, they can then grow and balance life in a way that provides prosperity for others.
Bonsai Levity
The Ruby red color of Bonsai Levity represents compassion and optimism. The shimmering, cosmic orb rolling down the stone represents the Unknown that we all encounter in life and stresses the importance of letting things we cannot control “Roll of our back.” The tree roots are gently wrapped around the orb, not
to catch it, but to guide it.
