FINDING ART IN NATURE

Arbordermy (noun): Discovery and preservation of art found in nature’s trees without altering the essence of its inherent, natural beauty.

Nature is arguably one of the world’s most inventive, creative artists. Evidence of this is often found in the bigger picture: in waterfalls, mountains, oceans and forests. However, some of nature’s most impressive masterpieces are found in the smallest, most unassuming places, such as in the shape of a fallen twig or the face-like image in a rock.

Arbordermy is an age-old concept which has finally gained a name. It is the collection and preservation of wood in its natural state, for the purpose of highlighting its inherent artistic qualities. Every day, it seems, someone somewhere in the world discovers a stunning piece of wood and rushes to share it with a few friends. Here, the intrigue of such natural art can be shared with others across the globe.

The term Arbordermy was derived from the two words “arbor” and “taxidermy.” The term arbor is used to refer to trees, branches, vines and shrubs. As taxidermy is the preservation of animal skins in order to display them in a life-like manner, arbordermy is the preservation of tree elements in order to preserve and display them as nature created them.

The potential, in these elements, is up to nature’s devising. Some Arbordermists, as a participant in arbordermy would call themselves, have discovered chunks of wood in the shape of animals or interesting objects. Others have come across pieces of wood which feature intricate patterns or natural carvings, displaying natural images or designs on the wood. Still more find wood which nature has crafted into a functional, artistic object, such as a tree trunk snapped in such a way that the remaining piece resembles a chair or several twigs inter-twined to form an elegant hanging fixture. If you have ever found and kept an interesting piece of wood, you can consider yourself a part of this community and an arbordermist.

It is here, on this Arbordermy website, that arbordermists can showcase their findings in nature and share their stories with others. They can show the ways in which they have made use of their functional findings, such as natural chairs or tables around their homes. They can show how a whimsical, hardened root structure adds character to their garden, or how an organically bird-shaped piece of wood keeps critters out of their yard and trash. They can share personal interpretations of various pieces on the site, as different people can have drastically different views of a single piece of arbordermy. They can offer pieces for purchase, when they can’t find any more space for them on their shelves or if they feel that another arbordermist would take greater joy in owning them. Otherwise, they can simply browse and appreciate the findings of others.

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