Upcycle Progress Report – Twisted Wire Bonsai Tree

Perry Owens
2023 - new, Post 3 - 2023
6 Comments

Progress on my Bonsai tree has been slow, but as expected, quite therapeutic! My first task to tackle was the untangling of the telephone wire I purchased from Art Parts. The wire came wrapped in smaller bundles with colorful ribbon. I considered the possibility of keeping the ribbon, but I thought the juxtaposition between materials was too different from the Zen aesthetic. In a Bonsai tree, every detail is meticulous, and each aspect of the tree is handled thoughtfully. The ribbons were too chaotic for my tastes, so I spent quite a while separating the wires from the ungodly nest they were packaged in. I then separated and twisted the wires into 20 smaller bundles, which will group together as the trunk of the tree, and segment off into individual branches and “leaves.” While stripping these wires would’ve yielded a more uniform coloration of the tree, I quite like the variety of color the telephone wire introduces. I feel this gives the tree an aesthetic akin to a Dr. Seuss cartoon, and it perfectly aligns with my surrealist vision for this piece. My most recent progress update is I created a “jig” from scrap MDF with holes to accommodate the individual wire segments. I’ve threaded the wires through these holes to allow me to more thoroughly twist them into the shape of the tree trunk. Sadly, I did not capture a picture of this jig before leaving campus for the day. I will update this post tomorrow with my most recent progress!

Two bundles of wires, separated into colorful sections that form the trunk and roots of the tree

[1] Two bundles of wires, separated into colorful sections that form the trunk and roots of the tree

Perry Owenshttp://www.perryowens.com
Inspired by the limitless possibilities of abstract reality, I create art that encourages viewers to experience their world through an altered lens. Whether through digital or physical fabrication, I enjoy the act of creation with my hands. Striving to craft art that has layers of interpretation, I enhance the communication of my message with physical dimension. Incorporating elements of contrast and motion, my pieces express a stylized view of their reality. By interacting with the many facets of my projects, I envision my audience will re-imagine their world with a new perspective.
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6 Comments. Leave new

  • Anil Antony Karathra
    February 20, 2023 7:20 pm

    Perry, I absolutely love your idea for this project. As Rishi mentioned, although I have seen braided wire art before this work of yours seems pretty unique. I hope your final product turns out well.

  • Ben Fougere
    February 19, 2023 5:14 pm

    I think this is a great idea and think its cool and unique that you are keeping the colored wires as part of the design. I’m excited to see how well these wires will work for this purpose and how the branches and leaves will look with the multicolored wires within them.

  • Rishi Assar
    February 16, 2023 11:15 pm

    I’m excited to see your final product! I didn’t know you were going to use colored wires and I think this is going to be a unique touch to the design, making it even more eye-catching. I love the Dr. Suess design inspiration for the project. When you create the final product I can imagine it could potentially catch some traction online as I have seen others make the same type of wire tree but not with this different approach.

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