The Bodhi Tree in a Michigan home

Mon, Nov 12th, 2018 One of my favorite parts of custom work is being able to go back to a piece I love and re-create it with a new vision.
That was the case with this commission that Steve & Nancy asked me to do for their Michigan condo.

The Bodhi Tree is full of movement and life, the carved leaves, a strong line of stones through the bottom third. I met Steve & Nancy in Petoskey, Michigan this past summer. They were drawn to my work but most especially, the original Bodhi Tree. The only problem, it was too big for their entry wall. After a few emails, some drawings, and a phone chat, we came up with this composition.

I began as I always do, working in the fresh clay. I sketch the tree, paying particular attention to the lines and movement. The next day the carving began and over the course of the week, the details evolved.

Once bisque fired, The Bodhi Tree went to the glaze room. Since I loved the piece so much, I made 2 renditions. I thought Steve & Nancy could select the one they like and I would take the other on the road. That's exactly what happened.

Once glazed, they selected their piece. The frame was built, tiles adhered and stones set. Here is Steve and Nancy's Bodhi Tree, also known as the Tree of Enlightenment, resized for its new home in Michigan. I've also included the second Bodhi Tree. As of this writing, this one is still available.

If you like what you see but don't see what you want - let's have a chat and talk about creating a dimensional wall mural for your home!