Willow Tree Figurines and Angels

So far all I’ve talked about on this site is Willow Tree figurines but there are quite a few more products associated with Willow tree than just their figurines. Although the angels are sculptures just like the figurines, they are placed in a special category of their own because they mean such completely different things than the pieces in the figurines category.

What the Willow Tree product line seems to thrive on is broad ideas that can mean something very personal to anyone regardless of race, culture or anything else that separates people in this world. Angels are widely thought of as portrayals of life after death and these can be seen in that way. But to those who don’t believe in that sort of thing though, the idea of angels can mean something completely different and just as powerful.

They can look over us or they can live within us to keep us strong, to help us in our daily lives or to succeed in a particular endeavor. They represent an invisible force in our lives that help us to do the things we want, to keep us safe or just to generally keep on eye out for us and make us feel loved.

The range of angels that Susan Lordi has created for Willow Tree are made as reminders that those invisible forces are around and we should not forget them. Whether you believe that the invisible force is a loved one that has passed on and is now keeping a watchful eye over you, or whether you think it is a power inside of you that allows you to do things you didn’t know you could do or even just get through the day, having a physical reminder that it is there can be a strong symbol for you.

There are angels for all sorts of different things such as just being there to watch out for you like the “Guardian Angel” piece, or to help you out with a hobby you may enjoy like the “Angel of the Garden” piece. These, like the figurines, can represent very personal ideas for any particular individual, but I think are more symbolic of your inner-most feelings rather than a feeling you can outwardly express for a person such as in the figurine poses.

Because your inner–most feelings are harder to express, the angel figurines tend to include objects more often than the figurines as Susan uses objects to symbolize different ideas and they can really help emphasize those sentiments.  Like for example the “Angel of Wonder” holds a small golden sphere close to her face and leers into it.  If this was to represent an invisible force that resides within us then the golden sphere could symbolize the world we live in with that urge inside of us wanting to find out more about it and what makes it the way it is.

That’s just one take on the meaning of that one angel though, there are a lot more to look at and interpret in different ways and in doing so you might just find one that speaks to you like that invisible force within.

One of the most defining features of Willow Tree Figurines is of course the lack of facial features and thus expressions on the sculptures faces. This means that each figurines body language is of great importance to each piece and what it represents.

The poses the figurines are crafted into are very purposeful to be definitive of the relationship or emotion it is attempting to portray, of course this will vary from person to person but the general idea is universal. For example the figurine “Angel of Mine” portrays a mother lovingly holding her baby under her chin, which will mean something different for a child and a mother, but to both it will represent a pure and great love.

Many, if not all of the sculptures poses are as simple as this one but I’ll repeat what I said in my first post: it’s all about simplicity. This simple act of cradling a baby close to your chest, nestling its head under your cheek is a very strong example of body language because it so inherently portrays love in such a pure form.

Not every piece is meant to portray a relationship though, there are several that show single figurines that are representative of different emotions. One example is “Free Spirit” in which the figurine has been carved in what looks to be the midst of swaying around carelessly. Holding one hand in the other beneath its cheek, elbows poised in the air, the pose suggests such freeness, happiness and love of life. This is another very simple pose that portrays such a huge emotion in quite a particular way.

One more variation that can be found in some Willow Tree figurines are pieces that involve animals or objects. Although a lot can be said within just a simple pose, with the use of an animal or object so much more can be implied through the symbolism.

A quote from Susan Lordi, creator of Willow Tree:

“I like to use animals or objects from nature, which can be metaphors for human experiences…rosemary for remembrance, a bird for healing, flowers for beauty.  These items can mean different things to different viewers.  I try to give each piece another level of meaning that’s not always obvious — that the viewer can sense or imagine.”

With the piece called “Happiness” the figurine has her arms wide open, face looking up, hair flowing back in the wind and sitting on her open arms are some bluebirds ready to take flight. This piece screams “FREEDOM!” louder than Braveheart with the aid of the symbolism of the birds.

There are so many examples of symbolism throughout the pieces to enjoy and interpret, leave a comment and tell me some of your favorite uses of it!

First of all – what are Willow Tree figurines? Well, plainly put they’re just a collection of simple, hand-crafted figurines, but they are so much more than that! These sculptures epitomize the depths of human emotion, they explore the relationships that we have with everyone in our lives and summarize them into small, static representations that invoke the feelings we have for them.

The creator of these figurines goes by the name of Susan Lordi who hand-crafts every single sculpture herself. She wasn’t always a sculptor though, she has a Master of Fine Arts in Textile Design and her fiber art has been shown all over the world so when she began making Willow Tree figurines it was a huge change of direction for her!

So how can such simple designs and colors come together to invoke such strong personal emotions? The thing is, the figurines aren’t made simple-looking because they’re easier to sculpt. If Susan thought that carving facial expressions onto them would enhance the quality of the pieces then she would have done so. It’s all about simplicity, without facial expressions it’s up to the body language of the figurine to tell the story of its circumstance and that’s what makes it so powerful.

These aren’t little character figurines, these are figurines of emotions and relationships and human circumstances, to put a facial expression on them would be to turn them into characters. They aren’t characters, they are us. They are me, they are you, they are everyone in the world, they’re the human race in its most simple form.

When you see a Willow Tree figurine that applies to a relationship you have in your life, you imagine that the sculptures are of you. You put your faces on them and it serves as a constant reminder of that relationship and the way it makes you feel. It is a subconscious act but one that everyone does when they see an applicable piece, and that’s where the popularity lies.

When someone purchases a Willow Tree figurine they are effectively buying a figurine of themselves and/or a loved one, family member, friend or anyone they have known in their life. It’s the vague equivalent of Christian Bale buying a Batman figurine. They have the power to be so personal to an individual because they’re not just decorations, they’re the parts of your life that keep you going!