Gustav Klimt TREE OF LIFE

Tree of Life Date Created: 1905 The Tree of life is an important symbol used by many theologies, philosophies and mythologies. It signifies the connection between heaven and earth and the underworld, and the same concept is illustrated by Gustav Klimt's famous mural, The Tree of Life.

Tree of Life The swirling branches create mythical symbolism, suggesting the perpetuity of life. The branches twist, twirl, turn, spiral and undulate, creating a tangle of strong branches, long vines and fragile threads, an expression of life's complexity. With its branches reaching for the sky, the tree of life roots into the earth beneath, creating the connection between heaven and earth, a concept often used to explain the concept of the tree of life, in many cultures, religions and ideologies.

Tree of Life Others say that the painting symbolizes the union between man's greatest virtues, which are strength, wisdom and beauty. The tree reaching for the sky is a symbol of man's perpetual yearning for becoming more, yet his roots are still bound to the earth. One of the important qualities of The Tree of Life is that it challenges the viewer to spend more time admiring the painting. While the artist uses a richness of symbols, gold for paint and other luxurious techniques to illustrate a magical world, the presence of a single black bird draws the viewer towards the central part of the painting. The black bird is a reminder that everything that has a beginning also has an end, as black birds have been used as a symbol of death by many cultures.

FORM An object with three dimensions- height, width, and depth Can be physically three-dimensional… …or just appear to be three dimensional due to the use of values and shading.

FORM Shapes that are flat (two- dimensional) like the shape of the tree in Klimt’s painting, can be turned into forms (three-dimensional objects) through either shading, or transforming the original into a sculpture based on the original shape.

Project Information Media: Chenille Stems, Buttons, Wire Technique: Additive Sculpture

Step 1 Gather 14 Chenille Stems and line them up so they are even on both ends.

Step 2 Take another chenille stem and wrap it around the group of stems. - leave about 3 inches on one end, and make the wrap the same length.

Step 4 Divide the long ends into three or four groups and wrap another NEW stem to make the larger branches. Start wrapping at the top of the ‘trunk’. Make a few wraps, then pull out a single stem, continue wrapping, pull out another stem, and repeat so the bundle of the branch gets smaller and smaller, just like a real tree.

Step 5 Continue wrapping smaller bunches as you move to the top of the tree so the branches get thinner and thinner. Finish all branch groups.

Step 6 Start curling the ends of the single coils at the ends of the branches.

Step 7 Fold the short ends of the puipe cleaners (at the bottom of the ‘trunk’ in half, and tuck into the bottom. Spread these out so they make a stable base.

Step 8 Prepare the stylized spotting on the tree with small pieces of wire and buttons. Fold the wore in hald, and thread through the button holes. For a challenge, try lining up two buttons.

Step 9 Attach the bursts of color (buttons) to the tree by twisting the ends of the wires around the trunk or a branch.