The Butterfly Ginkgo Collection celebrates the representation of flora as fauna. Michael s fascination with a particular type of ginkgo tree , the Ginkgo Biloba, or Butterfly Ginkgo , which grows with a double leaf reminiscent of a butterfly s wings, gave rise to a fantasia image of the plant. Executed at the highest level of handcraftsmanship, each piece is rendered in solid brass with hand etched cocoon-shaped vessels. The pieces in the collection are a tour de force of the handcrafted process, capturing the poetic spirit that is so deeply indicative of Michael s work.
The first time I saw this tree, it literally looked like it had been completely overtaken by butterflies… as if they would all take flight the moment I walked too close or made a noise. The idea that the leaves could evoke the beauty of butterflies was magical to me, like trees that can metamorphose from flora to fauna in the blink of an eye.
