Three Trees - Holding Place

Dimensions: W21.5" x D16" x H13"

This piece was created after observing trees that are found near most roads. These kinds of trees are often not very tall nor overwhelming, and invoke a sense of familiarity. Their bountiful leaves and sturdy frame give an air of majestic appearance.

Photo credit: Jonney Davis

Yu Jean Choi
San Francisco, CA. USA

As a metal sculptor and a professional artist the primary objective of my work is to capture the beauty of nature. I am always fascinated and humbled by the perfection of colors, shapes, and forms that exist in nature - it is this admiration that fuels the passion that I have for my work. Among many organisms that share the world with humans I am most enamored with trees and thus, they are the central theme of my sculptures.

My sculptures are not simply copies of what is preexistent in nature; the goal I have for every piece is to observe, analyze, and understand the beauty of trees and project that knowledge onto a unique piece of art that combines essences of modern urban culture and nature. The end result is a sculpture that is both abstract and organic. giants’ passive energy invigorates me in ways that is unattainable through other sources. It is this energy that encourages me to pursue creative working

The love I have for trees transcends simple adoration. It is highest form of respect that I have for their strength, tenacity, and stability. These silent and keep me long term commitment working.

After a lot of sketches, my fabrication process start. I draw on metal, cut, hammer, weld or braze, file, grind, sand, patina and wax. Pursuing to make each art piece with maximum of creativity, the craftsmanship through fabrication process is also the core of my art. It can show how much I love and do it right.

It is my wish that through my work the viewers would be able to reconnect with nature. With society such as ours that changes at such accelerated pace, the significance of nature tends to disappear. Hopefully, my work would enable more people to reconnect with nature and appreciate the beauties that lie within.


These containers and vessels definitely hold their place in the world of stunning art objects as well as in the world of metalsmithing.

Since the dawn of time humans have created containers to hold things that were important to them, from large vessels to hold food and harvests to intimate containers for small precious things. They might hold memories, ashes, medicine, beverage, fruit or food - but all spring from the imagination and skill of the maker. Some have specific religious functions, some are meant for everyday use. When one thinks of a vessel or container the inclination is to think of something with solid walls - yet many of these works involve the exploration of positive and negative space, and the use of negative space to help create the illusion of the wall of the vessel.

As the world’s largest jewelry related internet site, Ganoksin strives to develop exhibitions showcasing work from around the world. This exhibition was open to all metalsmiths, professional and amateur, advanced and beginner. Participants are from The Netherlands, the USA, Canada, Australia, Costa Rica, the United Kingdom, Israel, Hong Kong, Colombia, Romania, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia and Denmark. While most of the pieces are by an individual metalsmith, some are collaborations, one of three artists spanning 50 years.

In total 319 artists contributed 729 show pieces for the permanent online exhibition.

Objects in the exhibition include boxes, lockets, urns, ash containers, bowls, wine cups, reliquaries, match holders, vases, teapots, pitchers, sugar bowls, baskets, nests, pillboxes, clutches and a range of sculptural forms. A variety of techniques are showcased covering a wide range of metalsmithing techniques. Materials used include everything from gold and silver to less expensive metals. Ornamentation includes the addition of enamel, chasing and repousse’, gemstones and found objects.

The exhibition was curated by Beth Wicker, President of the North Carolina Society of Goldsmiths in the United States, and Adjunct Instructor at Northeastern Technical College in South Carolina. Director of the exhibition is Hanuman Aspler, founder of The Ganoksin Project, the world’s largest internet jewelry site.