"The Tree of Life" - Santa Barbara Zoo Series

Private Commission

Birch and Lacewood - 4 layers - 77 Pieces

24” x 24”

I took an entirely different approach to designing The Tree of Life project. I really wanted this design to have a balanced flow from the roots to the branches. I wanted a very organic look to the lines of this project and needed every piece of every branch or root to look like it belonged. In order to achieve this I sat down and free handed the design directly onto the board.

After hours of working and reworking every part of this design I was very happy with the overall look. There were over 50 pieces making up the branches and roots of this tree and a total of 27 tiny leaves. Every one of these pieces were cut, and sanded by hand and layered on a single background piece that mirrored every curve and bend of the tree. I used over 40 aluminum spacers and popped the tree 1/2” away from the base giving it great depth and shadowing.

The color scheme of this project ended up being very complicated to do correctly. There are a total of 5 browns and tans making up the branches and roots of this tree and 3 custom shades of green for the leaves. Every brown or tan was planned so it would not touch another piece of the same color. Using a detailed blue print and a complex number system I was able to accomplish this beautiful color scheme and bring attention to all the amazing detail in this project!
The final touch was a frame made from Australian Lacewood. The grain of this wood has a beautiful vine effect and created the perfect
border for the tree!