Juniper Yogi
For this piece I travelled to North-Central Colorado to find the elusive juniperus scopulorum, or, Rocky Mountain Juniper as it’s commonly known. This tree grows alongside other types of juniper as well as Woody Sage and Pinon Pine and is distinguished by a reddish heartwood that creates gorgeous streaks. The twisting is caused by exposure to winds on extreme hillsides, where the tree clings to life and prospers despite difficult conditions.
The inspiration for this figure comes from "tree pose" in yoga practices.
The sculpting begins many years ago in the way the tree grows, which is shaped by the environment: the soil, weather, water, and interactions with the flora and fauna of the surrounding area all contribute to what the tree ultimately looks like.
The trees with the most interesting twists are found on steep hillsides, where they are exposed to heavy winds. This trip pushed me hard; I had to climb up and down slippery scree with a full bag of branches.
All my sculpting work takes place on the ground. When working with irregular pieces, the best way to cut straight lines is by hand. I found the easiest way to secure the branch while I saw is to use my feet and legs.
This figure took shape from the legs up in an organic process that is determined as much from the shape of the trees as any work I try to do to it.
