Copper and Steel Cattleya Plant Sculpture

This sculpture uses blossoms made using recycled copper from a fire line. The Air roots are made from an old bicycle child carrier,  wire from a political sign,and    springs taken from a piece of discarded furniture. The rest is made from .032 mild sheet steel. I have seven blossoms left to make my next project.

Copper and Steel Orchid Plant

This is my first sculpture in a new series. The copper blossoms were made from a piece of 1 1/2" copper pipe that once was a fire line in a sawmill steam plant. I experimented with fold forming the copper before hammering in the convex shapes. I am very pleased with the result. When I quenched the annealed copper in snow it often took on darker shades of patina along the folded areas. The roots and stems are made from a recycled political sign.

Orchid Plant

Here's the latest addition to my Farmers Market Series. The plant is mild steel leaves, roots ,stem,and old blossom and stand. The blossom is copper, brass and stainless steel. I learned that perpendicular scratches to the stem's length enhanced the colors that occurred from the welding heat affected zone.All the materials,except a screw and a nut,and weldment are reused(by accident).

Brown Orchid of Egypt

This is the Brown Orchid of Egypt.I saw the word Egypt on one of the rebar sepals, so it became part of the name.The shape came from my soul. I must make more orchids and color them.