As a grandparent with several grandchildren, and surely more to come in years ahead, I was instantly drawn to the Willow Tree figurine collection, Susan Lordi's line of carved, figurative sculptures.
I was introduced to WILLOW TREE FIGURINES a few years ago when I received the "Together" Willow Tree figurine from my husband as a Christmas gift. I was hooked on Willow Tree ever since, and have regularly searched for any and all newly added items to the Willow Tree family of products.
I'm especially drawn to the WILLOW TREE GRANDPARENTS figurine collection, and have gradually been building my personal collection of these figurines from the grandparents family groupings and individual children/grandchildren figures, pictured here.
Right now, my favorite Willow Tree collectable figurine in my collection is called "The Quilt", showing a mother (or grandmother) gently rocking a young child in a rocking chair, covered in a warm quilt. I imagine this mother or grandmother to be softly humming or singing this child to sleep, as she gently rocks in the rocking chair. Much like I would do myself with my own grandchildren.
I believe it's true that those, like me, that love the Willow Tree sculptured figurines feel an emotional connection to their favorite pieces. The grandparents figurines from Willow Tree "speak to me" emotionally, even though there isn't necessarily an actual physical likeness to any or all of my grandchildren, (or myself as the grandmother or my husband as the grandfather), in regards to the physical shape, color or style of hair etc of the Willow Tree figurines.
I appreciate the way that Susan Lordi has created her Willow Tree figures, leaving the interpretation of each individual sculptured piece open, allowing the viewer to decide for themselves the intimate, personal meaning of each figurine or grouping. Susan does an excellent job sculpting each figurine in such a way that the collector or viewer immediately recognizes and feels the expressed qualities and endearing virtues of love, closeness, healing, courage, hope, etc., expressions revealed simply through body gestures only a tilt of the head, placement of the hands, a turn of the body.
WILLOW TREE'S "THE ROSES IN MY GARDEN"
The Roses In My Garden by Willow Tree is a newly added collection of children with darker skin tones and darker hair color, representing boys and girls of different ages and personalities and race/ethnicity. The "You and Me" Willow Tree figurine showing a couple (husband/wife, mother/father, or grandmother/grandfather) is now available in darker skin and hair tones as well as the lighter skin tones, which works very well in creating a family grouping with diversity.
Since I only have a few Willow Tree/DEMDACO figurines in my collection so far, I haven't needed to buy display pieces such as the Reliquary display case, nor the shelves or pedestals. Mine are simply displayed on the mantel. By the time I'm done collecting all of the figurines for my grandparents collection, I intend to buy a corner curio cabinet to display my Willow Tree collection, and I'll purchase some of the pedestals to elevate different figurines at that time.
Given the light, neutral colors of the figurines in my collection, adding a few pieces from the "Flowers" category of figurines will add a nice pop of color in my curio cabinet display case. The "Abundance" figurine showing a girl or woman holding a beautiful bouquet of roses is just one example of the colorful way of creating a Willow Tree collection displayed very nicely.
Even though my personal collection of Willow Tree figurines is focused on the grandparents with grandchildren, the couples/parents collections showing the growing family with figurines of husband/wife, pregnant wife, new baby in the family, brothers/sisters, mother/daughter etc, in light or darker skin/hair tones, there are several friends and family that would love to receive a Willow Tree figurine for their birthday, anniversary, Christmas gift, or even a "Just Because I'm Thinking of You" type gift any time of year.
I guess that's one reason why I make sure to keep a list of all WILLOW TREE figurines in a private "wishlist" on Amazon, not only for myself building my collection, but as possible gift ideas for a close friend, co-worker, someone feeling ill or needing some cheering up, or just to let someone know I'm thinking of them fondly.
Do you love Willow Tree figurines too? What's your favorite piece in your collection, and why?
Origin: anita-pickup.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment