The Carol Duvall Show cameras visit the Laguna Hills, Calif., home of artist David Sullenger to focus on the miniature furniture he makes from elm tree branches. After perfecting the art of making full-sized furniture from tree branches, Sullenger began creating miniature versions of his work. "No two are alike," he says. "They're basically one-of-a-kind. Even when I'm trying to make the same chair over and over, each stick has its own character." Making these miniatures opened up new avenues for Sullenger's artistic expression. "I find it more creative to do the miniatures than the full-sized pieces," he says, as with the miniatures, his goal is to create a piece that is expressive and imaginative, not necessarily comfortable. "It provides me a lot of freedom," he says. "I can either make a simple chair or I can get very complicated, and it's a lot of fun just to be able to "branch" out." Sullenger's materials come from the trees on his property. The wood he prefers usually comes from the trees that are closest and most accessible. He also appreciates the fact that using branches allows him to be conservative with the wood. "I like the idea of making furniture out of branches rather than having to cut down a whole tree," he says. "I really love trees and I think it's kind of a celebration of the life that trees give us. They give us shade, they give us beauty and they give us oxygen among other things, and it's kind of a reverence for the life force." When putting his miniatures together, Sullenger uses the fat twigs as legs, and the thinner pieces become the "runs" or the horizontal pieces. He joins the pieces using no nails, tacks or metal of any kind, but instead he uses a technique called mortise-and-tenon joinery, an old chair-making technique that involves cutting slots to piece the furniture together. Sullenger feels that almost anyone can learn this craft and enjoy the side benefits. "A lot of people like to work with their hands (and) I think it provides a lot of necessary outlet for our very cerebral kind of world," he says. "When you're working with your hands, it's a way of focusing. I think people will get a big kick out of making miniatures from all different aspects, psychological (and) physical. Doing something physical with your hands I find to be very enjoyable."
GUESTS :
David Sullenger
Artist and owner of Tree Spirit
Contact David Sullenger for availability of artwork.
135 Stan Oaks Dr.
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Phone: 949-494-3509
| 
)
