Enchanting Gem Trees & Trees of Life
Gem trees are a beautiful form of home décor gem art. They utilize small pieces of gemstone material and wire, woven together in small expressions of nature. Gem trees are all handmade, fashioned one gemstone at a time, creating the enchanting illusion of a tree with leaves and flowers, often to stimulate a zen atmosphere in the home.
One of the most amazing gem trees I have ever seen was exhibited by Gemstone Material Interiors (GMI) at the Prospector’s Panorama show during the 2019 Quartzsite gem shows in Arizona. This giganticover two feet tall- amethyst gem tree was among the rarities offered for sale at Quartzsite. Various shades of amethyst were used, creating a fantasy of purple wisteria flowers hanging in clusters from the climbing bush, rising from an amethyst drusy geode.
Gem trees are frequently an introductory form into the lapidary arts. Simple designs can be executed in a short amount of time with striking results to satisfy a beginner and build their confidence to continue exploring the medium. All that is needed are inexpensive gem materials, pliers, wire, and of course some patience, as with all lapidary work.
Gem trees are generally created with small, tumble-polished gemstones or beads. Drilled gemstone chips (freeform beads) are inexpensive and commonly used, but rounded and other shapes are also utilized. Some gem trees are built with one gem variety creating a monochromatic vision, while others incorporate multiple colors and gemstone varieties, creating fanciful objects. Quartz is mainly used, including the favorite amethyst, carnelian, citrine, rose quartz, tigereye, agate, and jasper. Sodalite, peridot, coral, tourmaline, and amazonite are also used.
The beads are threaded onto the wire, while the undrilled stones are glued on the wire branches,
usually with #527 Craft glue, or epoxy. The wire branches with the gemstones are built one by one and then attached to the trunk. Wire metals include silver, gold-filled, copper, steel, or colorcoated steel. Preferably 24-gauge wire or 26-gauge wire is used. Charms may also add character and symbolism.
The larger the gem tree, with more branches and colors, the bigger statement it makes. Choosing the base is also important, typically with a flat bottom. Drusy amethyst geodes, or quartz crystals, are often chosen. Then the trunk is built up as if it is growing out of the base. The trees’ shape also varies, imitating bonsai trees, which are the Japanese version of miniature ornamental trees in the shape of real-life trees. Wisteria trees with hanging blooming branches, willow, and spruce pine are some of the preferred tree design styles.
Commercially, gem trees are offered in sizes from five inches tall to twenty-five inches tall. Many are made and imported from Brazil. The number of gemstones on those trees ranges from thirty-five for the small ones up to over 700 gemstones for the large ones. Although prices for small trees may start under fifty dollars each, prices for the large ones may reach hundreds of dollars.
There are several step-by-step tutorials online, which you can follow to make your own gem trees. Gem tree making is a class favorite for beginners at local gem shows and workshop club facilities, which you can look for in your local area. It will be a rewarding and relaxing endeavor. On the contrary, if you are a gem tree artist, you may want to offer a class in your community. You will certainly have a great audience.
In this article, I feature three different gem artists from around the country, which I will discuss their one-of-a-kind gem tree creations, inspiration, and approach to selecting their gem materials.
KAREN BENNETT’S GEM TREES
Karen Bennett is a wonderful jewelry and gem tree artist located in Green Valley, Arizona. Karen was one of the first people I met here and we have remained friends ever since. She creates beautiful gem trees, which sell out immediately. Karen and her husband had a store in the historic and artistic town of Tubac, Arizona
selling rocks, minerals, and her own jewelry. Karen started making gem trees while trying to find a way to use some of their large inventory of rough peridot, Oregon sunstone, and garnet. Since they were already tumbling stones for the store, it was easy for her to tumble the stones for the gem trees.
Karen’s early gem trees were all made with tumbled stones, but as time went by, she decided to use chip beads as well. I really like her ruby in zoisite beads on a quartz crystal base gem tree, which looks like a painting of a pomegranate tree. I also love her
pearl trees, which embody a frozen snow fantasy. Karen and her husband also cut and polish the slabs she uses for the bases, in addition to shimmering quartz crystals. Turquoise beads and a slab of petrified wood - both favorite Arizona materials- is another beautiful combination used for a gem tree.
During our recent conversation, Karen said, “Making the gem trees is very relaxing, and I am always excited to see the finished product.”
You can reach Karen Bennett via email at kbrockn@yahoo.com.
THE TREE OF LIFE
The Tree of Life is a form of gem tree design. It is now a popular stylistic design appearing in visual arts, graphic designs, embroidery, rugs, home décor, and of course, in jewelry. The Tree of Life is made into pendants and earrings in a variety of styles and materials. Some cast commercially in silver and other metals, while others are oneof-a-kind designs with gemstones.
While gem trees spread out in space, the Tree of Life’s design in jewelry – root and branches - is usually constrained within a circle or other boundary. In both cases, the sprawling branches are designed based on balance and symmetry.
The symbolism of the Tree of
Life is embedded in several cultures around the world, each one reflecting its own ideals, meanings, and traditions. Yet, they all have numerous commonalities, one being the sacred life and rebirth connection.
Although I have not used the encircled Tree of Life design in my carved gems and jewelry, I explored the theme of roots and people connection in my Silver Faces Collection, based on my early large sculptural work. After a trip to Singapore in 1984, I was inspired by the gigantic, tropical, eternal trees and created a series of sculptures with roots and interwoven faces reflecting the parallel course of man and nature. My Tree of Life, a 5.7-foot tall mixed media sculpture, was the first in that series.
LINDA BORONCZYK’S TREE OF LIFE DESIGNS
Linda Boronczyk is another talented gem and jewelry artist from upstate New York, whom I met at the 2018 Wildacres EFMLS workshop in North Carolina. Linda creates very unique jewelry pieces and participates at the Syracuse Gem & Mineral Society show (a great show we used to participate in while living on the east coast), and at other local craft venues. Linda grew up in the country, in New York State, and always appreciated the beauty and peacefulness of trees. During our recent conversation, Linda said, “I admire the strength of two large maple trees and two weeping willow trees in my yard that whisper in the breeze.” Linda continued, “I love the fall, when the leaves turn into
vibrant colors and look for the one surviving leaf on the tree branches.”
It took Linda several days to complete her first Tree of Life. She used emerald, fluorite, and labradorite chip beads. It is designed within an antique frame that measures 7 ¾ inches tall, which she purchased at an antique shop years earlier. The piece can be hung on a window like a Native American dream catcher or on the wall. Linda credits being home due to the pandemic and having more time to let her imagination create some unusual pieces of home décor. Linda continued, “As I created my Tree of Life, I thought of the dark green leaves at the base of the branches as the rebirth of life. Starting the new cycle with the changing seasons, I added color to express its beauty and strength.”
Among Linda’s other Tree of Life jewelry creations is a copper-wired gem tree inside a round locket, with smoky quartz and garnet beads, and a tiny Mexican drusy quartz for the root base. She also created a beautiful necklace by redesigning a vintage acrylic necklace and adding a delicate sterling silver Tree of Life around the focal pendant.
Linda’s beautiful recent gem art creations gave me the final spark to complete this article on gem trees.
You can reach Linda Boronckyk via email at lindaboronczyk@ me.com or follow her on Facebook.
HONEY OPAL GEM TREE
Yellow and fire opals are part of a wide range of lapidary materials classified as opals that do not display the optical phenomenon of play of color. They are known as exotic common opals and come from several locations around the world.
One highly translucent variety of honey opal comes from the Yellow Gem Mine, in Valley County, Idaho. The opal occurs in the host rhyolite rock, through seams and gaps left in an old volcanic neck. It is often fractured to some degree within the boulders or weathered out. Opal shards are found all over the hill and shine in the sun. The opal breaks off, or splinters easily, thus extreme care is required to chisel out specimens large enough for faceting. Occasionally while digging, facet-grade pieces roll whole out of the muck. Some pieces have beautiful black manganese oxide dendrites, shaped like snowflakes or water plants. This interesting opal is found in a striking palette of yellow shades, ranging from lemon to deep yellow, golden, amber, root beer, and a rare few red or striped.
Carrie Ellie, or Ellie as she is best known, and her husband Ed own the mine together with their partner and mountain neighbor, Scott, a budding lapidary. They bring out opal specimens a few at a time because the daily trek from their base camp to the mine is about a 700-foot climb. From their camp the trail back to their vehicle is a ten-mile hike. Ellie noted that bringing out rhyolite with opal rock specimens is hard, as they add a lot of weight to their backpacks.
For this beautiful gem tree, they used honey opal chips, which Ellie first screened and grouped by color, and a natural rhyolite and honey opal rock specimen for the base. Ellie had made another honey opal gem tree some time ago for their good friend Wilbur’s 100th birthday cake. Wilbur is the founder of the opal deposit, who stopped mining at the age of 89 due to arthritis and sold his patented claims to Ellie.
Guests at the Big Creek Lodge (a luxury backcountry resort near Idaho’s wilderness) saw the gem tree and commissioned Ed to make one for them, allowing them to choose the frame, base, and opal colors. They just finished it and I saw the post on Ellie’s Facebook page and reached out to her for details.
I met this kind, wonderful, and most generous couple at EFMLS Wildacres 2016 Workshop in North Carolina. They often attend the sessions and donate a lot of their material to the auction held there, which benefits the Eastern Federation’s Wildacres fund.
Ellie also said that “getting to the mine is miserable, often painful, but being there energizes my soul. Finding beautiful honey opal and holding it up to the sun - now that’s something special.”
You can reach Ed and Ellie via email at yellowgemmine@gmail.com.