Matthew Sudlow

Ive always been fascinated by bonsai trees. When I was twenty-seven years old I decided on a whim to leave Pennsylvania and move west to Utah. By chance, I crossed paths with a Utahan who had devoted over seventy years of his life to the art of bonsai. Fortunately, he still instructed and I became one of his last students. My journey really began when I discovered that I was more interested in the idea of sculpting a tree than training one. Yet, just sculpting a one-off tree was not enough. I was absorbed by the challenge of making a mold of something as complex as a bonsai tree. With a mold, I could produce nearly identical copies and this level of quality control is an important mark of a modern bronze artist. In addition, the casting process required that I make wax copies which would somehow survive demolding unscathed. Its uncanny that I was able to use a fragile material to create such an intricate bronze sculpture. All told, it has taken years of development and experimentation to equip me with the knowledge to make these enchanting bronze bonsai trees. I hope they captivate you as they have me.

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email: Matthew Sudlow