It is always difficult to find a gift that meets all your requirements. Especially when it comes to a wedding gift. You would still like a gift that meets the following criteria:
- Unique
- Personal
- A gift with a story
- And don't forget, it must also be beautiful
Assignment
These were exactly the questions I received before creating the work: the family tree.
I was approached by the children of a couple who got married, or were getting married, later in life.
They wanted a unique gift and wanted to see the following:
- Two families coming together
- Nature
- Flowers
- And a reference to three family members who have passed away but are still very present in our thoughts
Design
The design features two trees growing together into one. The family tree contains 34 flowers, which represent all children and grandchildren. The three butterflies represent the three family members who have died. Where the trees meet there is a heart. In the first design there were two turtledoves in the heart that represent the couple. After consultation with the family, these were replaced by two slightly larger flowers in their own color. The rest of the flowers are all the same size but in different color combinations, everyone is the same but different in personality.
The first image shows the initial design | the second the final design
Method
After the first sketch, the client was already very pleased and after a few minor adjustments, the design was ready and it was time to start creating the work.
This sounds simple, but it involves quite a few steps and work:
- Creating glassware
- Create design digitally
- Print design by size
- Selecting colours
- Cut out design (with printer) on adhesive film
- Select the correct color pieces and apply adhesive film. Some glass plates do not consist of one color but of several shades.
- Cut glass by hand whenever possible
- Cutting out more difficult parts, think of sharp corners and holes in the middle of a part.
- Sharpen all edges with a fine sharpening stone
- To clean
- Test whether everything fits properly and update where necessary
- Clean again
- Melting together
- Putting work together
Because I do not have a very large oven (40x50cm), I had decided to make the tree in parts and later combine them into one large whole. This would also make it easier to transport and when the work needs to be mounted on the wall.
A video has been made of the making process:
Conclusion
The client was very pleased with the work and the recipient was very moved by the gift. The work now hangs in a prominent place in the couple's living room!
