(Office Sapling #3)

1997
Black Walnut on terminal moraine granite
Sapling: 105"H x 24.5"W x 12"D; Base: ~2"H x 24"W x 19"D

This Sapling showcases, as does Spiral, the contrast between the Black Walnut's cream-colored sapwood and its deep red heartwood. #3 is carved from one trunk, yet looks as if it is three segments attached to each other and a base. The top and bottom segments, and the base, are carved so that only the red heartwood shows; the middle segment is carved so that the cream-colored sapwood encases a slim red heartwood core. The top segment ends in an upward flourish.

During the decades that I spent in laboratories and offices, I always wished that there were some type of botanical entity that one did not have to fuss with, clean the leaves off the floor, give it water and fertilizer, etc. Finally I developed the criteria for an office plant: it should take the minimum of floor space, should not need attending to, and should serve as a focal point for contemplation. I came up with the idea of 'Office Sapling' or forms thereabout, and have completed five of them.