Have you ever gone for a walk in a park and saw some fallen trees? I have seen so many of those during my summer walks in this place in this post and in Sonsbeek Park. Have you ever wondered what to do with those fallen trees? Hub always makes this joke ; "Firewood for our fireplace." What if trees could actually also talk? I wonder if they'd also say ... I'd like to be immortal.
Last Sunday, I bumped into a German artist - Udo. I was on a date with my hub and he took me to Schloss Moyland that day. That was the last day of the Weihnachtmarkt in Schloss Moyland. On one of those stalls behind the castle garden, I found him. What caught my attention are these tiny tree drawers carved out of Acacia woods.
I ran to his booth since that time the last crowd has just left and I thought it's a chance for an interview. I asked if he speaks English and he told me with a smile on his face - no. I looked around looking for hub who was checking out other stalls - food stalls and motioned to get to me for translation help. I don't speak German. However, hub was pretty busy checking out men stuff that caught his attention and the crowd started growing around me, my introvert wanted to be unleashed - but luckily I have managed to keep it in.
Two ladies beside me asked if I need help translating and I blurted out yes. Hugo is a free lance artist and his exhibits goes as far as handicraft markets in some places in Germany. I also found out on his site that his last exhibit for this year was in Schloss Moyland - that day, the very day I bumped into him so I got lucky to behold his artworks. I hope that he's made a huge sale since it's just one day - the booth would mean - he will have to pay a day's booth rent, too.
The two kind German ladies translated for me and explained it to him that I'd like to write about him here and if it's okay to take pictures of his art works. With a very gentle smile he nodded his head and said something in German which the two ladies translated - yes. I also asked if I could take a picture of him and he smiled a bigger smile and said no. After taking all the pics, asking the questions, thanking the kind German Gals and Udo and wishing him good luck since it was getting darker, I sneaked into taking his pic and he smiled again - this time shyly saying, "No." So, ' am sorry I can't show you the proud and passionate 67 year old maker of these tree drawers. I'm but thankful enough that I may feature his lovely works in here.
.. from a Junifer tree.
Everyone was gushing at how cute and creative these tree drawers are. Not to mention that Udo actually just uses indigenous trees that have fallen in the park. Yes, you could tell from the rings, they have lived quite some time and sometimes, they do just fall down. He uses only those kinds for safety purposes. I suppose he doesn't want to harm the environment and I love that thought. That means no forest needs to be over logged since these are not huge art pieces. Imagine making 10 out of those fallen trees - that's enough.
Giving these trees a second life by turning them into these cute tree drawers you could put your jewelries, candies and sweets to hide from other people in the house, as a stylish pencil case or pen holder to keep your working table minimalist enough or store your art tools in - is but awesome. I couldn't help but admire his works. I'm a huge fan of people who makes art and something wonderful out of what we think are just fallen trees.
His favorite tree are those belonging from the Yews. He also uses Cypress trees, Junifer trees, European Yews ,Conifers , Acacia and Alder trees which are commonly found in any parks in Europe. Using fallen park trees for his art work is not violating mother earth. Instead, it's helping us appreciate the beauty of the environment and the possibility it could actually give us for future use.
While plastic is light and easy to make, plastic production does not only pollute our environment - it's also not really sustainable. It kills fishes in the ocean and worse could also be hazardous to our health.
At 67, Udo Hesse fashions his tree drawers on band saw which gives them that precision look . I was wondering how on earth could he make such perfect carvings on these teeny tiny Acacia tree drawers. It must be hard work. It is - plus there's craftsmanship and passion involved. I could tell from the precision on the carvings, the neatness and polished outcome. Yes, I have ran my hands on those drawers and they are freaking smooth.
To make such cutely shaped tiny drawers on these pieces of trees must have taken him hours and though he is 67, you could tell from his works how much he loves what he does. Each craft is an eye catcher and a head turner. And if one would ask why they are priced as so, try making one so you know it takes talent and artistry to be able to think of such work of art out of a piece of a fallen tree ... and skills polished by years of experience to make such works and Udo Hesse happens to possess it and is worth featuring in the blockchain.
Can you imagine yourself trying to carve a drawer out of one? One slip and it's either the wood or your hand that would be at stake. Udo Hesse has mastered doing this since 1989 -and so as one saying goes; " Practice makes perfect." and organic. No, these tree drawers aren't cured. They are from here so they could stand the dampness here.
Would you want using one of these tree drawers? If yes, what for?
I took pics #1 to 7th myself using my Samsung Galaxy A3 2016. The rest of the pics you could find from the source cited below.
source: Udo, Hesse of baumschubladen.de
disclaimer: This post is intended to promote artists who have out of the box creations - plain as that.
Here you can find other articles I wrote about artworks, creativity, crafts and ingenuity.
- Pittige Tante
- Free Form Sculptural Needle Felting
- Optical Illussion from A Piece of Metal Art
- Made from Real Leaves - Pro - Sustainable Living
- Gable Stones and Ornaments From Soapstones and French Limes
- Wood is The New Hip But Which One?
- An Ode From One Once Frustrated Minnow To One
- Behind The Scenes of The Entries for This Week's Photo Challenge