Bottle Tree

I'm rolling out a bottle tree design this fall based off of tubing and 3/8" HR rod. In my experimentation process I made this bottle tree out of some scrap tubing and re-rod I had laying around. This tree measures nearly 7' tall and 3' wide. Though not fully filled, this bottle tree can hold around 15 bottles. I think my final design will hold close to 20 bottles Amy and I aren't big wine connoisseur's, but there may be a few Founders, and New Holland Brewery bottles that crept onto the tree for the picture. I can't not confirm or deny. :) There are some very cool cobalt bottles that can be purchased over the net, or any other color for that matter to fill your bottle tree with. I like the the red and blue bordeaux, as well as the dead leaf burgundy bottles (yellow) at this site.

Along with the bottle tree idea, I will be creating a smaller, bottle tree bush -Nearly 1/3 the size. I will provide stakes with each design that allow you to stake it down when you place it in your yard or garden.

Copper Wall Sculpt

Where has the summer gone?! ArtPrize is quickly approaching in Grand Rapids in a few weeks, and fall is nearly on us. The year has flown by once again. I've been experimenting with some copper sculptures recently. This is one was made from scrap copper left over from some of the Phoenix copper birds I made this year. It's hard to tell from the picture, but the copper tubes are layered together with copper plate dropped in here and there. I have really enjoyed working with copper. I use a torch with brazing tip and 3/32 rod to stick the copper together. Once the two pieces of copper are nearly red hot the brazing rod just puddles into the joint. With a little more heat, you can direct the braze to go nearly anywhere you want. With a cold quench from water, the copper turns color depending on how hot it got. There is a mix of dark vibrant reds, to purple, to blackish copper hues. I've made this piece to go indoors and have to coat it with some lacquer yet to make it complete.

This piece measures about 30" in height x 20" in width x 3" in depth.