One-Branch Three-Segment Wood “Sculpture”

Dimensions: Height 16 inches, Width 16.5 inches, Branch diameter is about 1.75 inches, Oval base is roughly 7.25 wide by 5.25 deep and 2 inches thick, Weight 3 pounds. The three main segments came from a single tree branch. I selected and arranged them to feature the progressive movement upward from straight to a V-bend to a U-curve. The base came from a different find. It’s compact and unique. How would it look on a table or shelf in your house or office? $100. Click here to purchase.

The Story

I found this dead branch on the grass around a large apartment building in my Glover Park Neighborhood of D.C. Most people walking past it would have ignored it; they certainly wouldn’t pick it up—unless to throw it in the trash. But its really odd shape, with one end tightly curving like a cane handle or shepherd’s staff, caught my eye. So, I picked it up and carried it home; I thought I could make art out of it. I cut it into three segments and scraped and sanded away the grungy, soft gray surfaces to reveal different colors and harder wood underneath—that alone took a few hours. For the base I used a slice of a tree that I had found many months earlier while running on Potomac Ave., NW, in the Palisades neighborhood. I had sanded it smooth and set it aside for a possible future project; this seemed the perfect opportunity. I had to add some little feet of varying thickness on the bottom so the top would be level. I put two coats of Minwax water-based clear satin Polycrylic over all the tree pieces. To connect the four pieces, I bought a 5/8-inch dowel (from Glover Park [Ace] Hardware), cut and painted it matte black, and glued everything into place.

Related Items: Abstract Upcycled Wood “Sculpture,” Large Abstract Reclaimed Wood “Sculpture.”