Beyond the Branch

Materials: Birch, walnut, copper, copper mesh
Dimensions: 56 × 48 × 18 cm
Techniques: Slow whittling, forging, soldering

The starting point for this sculpture was a beech trunk and a glass cloche. I wanted to create a place to hold something precious: a treasure, a message, or a wish. When the glass cloche broke, the hollow space already present within the trunk called for a different kind of protection.

A walnut lid was created to enclose this hidden compartment, its warm tone echoing the walnut butterfly joints that stabilize the natural cracks in the beech. The same walnut is repeated throughout the piece, creating a sense of cohesion between the trunk and the lid.

From the walnut lid emerges a hand-forged copper branch with delicate leaves formed from copper mesh. Reaching outward and upward, the branch becomes a symbol of growth and possibility. It may represent the unfolding of a wish, a message finding its way to the right place, or a treasure growing into something of greater value, in whatever form that may take.

In Beyond the Branch, sculpture, woodworking and metalwork come together in a one-of-a-kind object that balances strength and delicacy. It invites the viewer to consider not only what is visible, but also what is carefully kept within.

Photos: Paul Driessen