Trees seem to temporarily allow humans to form them into a new shape and give them a different purpose before reclaiming their wild nature and going on with their tree-business in these wild wood designs. Taking a modern approach to branch-based furniture, decor and sculpture, they celebrate the natural qualities of the materials, allowing them to shine in a way that makes them feel truly alive.

Spaghetti Benches by Pablo Reinoso

The slats of a wooden bench just keep growing as if they’re still alive, tangling together and climbing up walls, in Pablo Reinoso’s ‘Spaghetti Bench’ series. It’s almost like the tree the wood came from allowed itself to serve a purpose as seating only temporarily, and then decided to go about its life. The artist extends the same technique to other objects, like picture frames.

Fusion Frames by Darryl Cox

These hybrid frames by Oregon-based artist Darryl Cox start out as two separate objects – the reclaimed roots of manzanita, aspen and juniper trees, and a carefully matched picture frame. The artist carefully matches the tone and texture of the two objects and painstakingly blends them together with carving tools and paint. Look closely and you’ll find that the seams are virtually undetectable.

Sprouting Furniture by Pontus Willfors

The temporarily tamed wood that’s been crafted into chairs and other functional items starts to rebel before you can even sit down in this series by artist Pontus Willfors. It’s almost as if the trees have decided they have no patience for human attempts to turn them into something unnatural.

Fallen Tree Bench by Benjamin Graindorge

This bench by Benjamin Graindorge can’t hide its origins, the smooth surface giving way to stripped branches and then bark. ‘Fallen Tree Bench ‘ is fully supported on one side by a tangle of branches as if we caught it in mid-morph.

Driftwood Coffee Table & Side Table by Bernardo Urbina

Designer Bernardo Urbina blends unexpected upcycled materials together into minimalist tables and other objects. For these two tables, he chose wrap Traviesa and Tugas wood around a black folded metal base.

Next Page - Click Below to Read More:
Wild Wood 28 Temporarily Tamed Tree Based Designs Branch Out

(Part One in an Eight-Part Series on Brilliant and Unusual Artists of the World)

The relationship between an artist and the material they create with is a complicated and intimate one.  At times, the artist chooses the material.  But often, the material speaks to the artist and begs to be made into something wonderful.  UK artist Heather Jansch has worked in several media, including paints, bronze, and wire sculpture.  Almost by accident, she began creating beautifully unique sculptures from the irregular pieces of driftwood she finds on the beach.

Heather Jansch’s driftwood sculptures feature a variety of animals, but the most abundant and notable subjects are horses.  The artist has had a life-long love of horses, and it shows in the incredible detail she puts into her life-size horse sculptures.  The magnificent figures are so lifelike and full of energy that they seem likely to spring into movement at any moment.  Her work isn’t limited solely to horses and driftwood, however.  She also sculpts other animals from driftwood and casts some of her sculptures in bronze.

Heather Jansch lives and works in Devon, near Newton Abbott. Her studios feature a large outdoor space which is sometimes opened for public viewing. A number of her sculptures are on display outdoors on the grounds, and visitors are invited to walk around and take in the beautiful surroundings. The artist also allows private visits at other times.

It’s not every artist who can take a material as unconventional and unpredictable as driftwood and transform it into energetic and dynamic sculptures. Heather Jansch’s art is the perfect marriage of material, subject, and skilled artistry.