2012
Cor-Ten Steel with Stainless Steel Blossoms and Painted Steel Cardinal
7′ 6″ H x 2′ 10″ W x 1′ D

Much of my late fall and early winter are spent designing new pieces for the upcoming season. The American Craft Council show in Baltimore in February is typically when I have my first chance to unveil my new designs. Cherry Blossom was the premiere piece and show special for ACC Baltimore 2012, (much like 3 Crows in a Tree was for ACC in 2011). I am happy to say it was received with much enthusiasm and cheer. In a timely turn, 2012 happened to be the centennial anniversary of the gift of the Cherry Blossom trees to Washington, D.C. from Japan.

This sculpture evolved naturally from a couple of earlier designs. It is a sister piece to Olive Branch and features many common threads with it; the branch, the enclosed circle with a bird, and the combination of Cor-Ten & Stainless steel. I was also influenced by Flower Tower and initially wanted to incorporate glass flowers once again into one of my sculptures. For my prototype, I used the Stainless flowers and I am happy with the way they play off the Cor-Ten, but I may revisit my original plans in the future and usesome of Scott Johnson’s pink glass flowers to give it a different impact and really emphasize the pink blossoms of the Cherry trees.

Cherry Blossom also has some visual interest that sets it apart. When viewed straight on, it looks like a rectangle, but, it actually has a diamond shape to it. The sides are tapered out in opposite directions of each other. This gives the viewer a changing image as they circle the sculpture. It is a subtle effect that I feel adds much to the piece both in imagery and in complexity. I used the cardinal from Retro Trees because it offers a friendly, familiar, and cheerful addition to the piece.

Shipping Note: This item is custom made and ships in approximately 12–14 weeks.