I find orchids to be stunningly beautiful and elegant with their delicate detailed petals and their layered flowers placed along a serpentine stem. They have always captivated me. There is a glow to orchid flowers that feels almost otherworldly, like they are lit from within.

Orchids are a treasure trove for an artist as there are over 25,000 documented species! Meaning there is always a new flower to inspire you. They have bilateral symmetry similar to the human face, which creates a unique balance that is rarely found in flowers. Orchids have adapted to mimic insects in order to be pollinated, and even vanilla is a type of orchid! If you want to learn more about this amazing plant check out the Stuff You Should Know podcast or article!

Creating a metal orchid sculpture felt like the perfect challenge because stainless steel can actually mimic that inner glow I was talking about. When you hit the metal with torch fire at just the right temperature, you get these rich purples and golds that look remarkably close to the colors you see in a real Phalaenopsis orchid. The translucent quality is obviously different, but the warmth and depth of color is surprisingly similar.

The trickiest part was the stem. A real orchid stem curves and bends gracefully under the weight of its blooms, and I wanted that same natural droop and flow in stainless steel. And unlike a real orchid, this one is strong enough to hold up all those flowers on one stem without tiny hair clips and a crutch!

I've sculpted many orchid varieties over the years. See my Orchid Branch, White Orchid, Dracula Orchid.

This orchid sculpture is a wall hanging piece based on the Phalaenopsis Blume, handmade entirely of stainless steel, colored using only heat patinas. This one must be kept indoors.