Heart of Gold

Willow Tree is an intimate line of figurative sculptures representing sentiments of love, closeness, healing, courage, hope... all the emotions we encounter in life. Heart of Gold was inspired by a young cancer patient at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO, USA, who was the son of close friends of Willow Tree artist, Susan Lordi. A young cancer patient with courageous spirit and kind smile, bringing so much love, joy and comfort to others. Susan Lordi and Enesco will donate 65p to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity for every Heart of Gold figure sold. The item is made in cast stone and hand-painted with lead-free paint. Supplied in a branded gift box and a gift tag with sentiment 'You will always have my heart'. Not a toy or children's product. Intended for adults only.

Approx. Dimensions: 14cmH 6.5cmW 4cmD

Willow Tree

Artist Susan Lordi hand carves the original of each Willow Tree sculpture. Using family and friends as models, Susan tries to capture a moment in time, or express a feeling. Pieces are cast from her original carvings, and then individually painted by hand. Softly washed colours, carved and metal accents, and representative icons of nature mark Susan’s work.

Her figures continue to evolve as she identifies emotions so important for us to convey, and renders them in simple, pure gestures. These art forms beautifully express love, closeness, healing, courage, hope…all the emotions of a life well lived.

The name Willow Tree was chosen to symbolise all that is gestural and beckoning. The figures are columnar in design, like a tree, and often carry natural objects or animals as metaphors for human virtues or qualities…rosemary for remembrance, a bird for healing, flowers for beauty. The sculptures are rendered so as to suggest elegance, simplicity, peace and serenity. Forms reveal their expressions through body gestures only…a tilt of the head, placement of the hands, a turn of the body.

Emotions are left to the viewer to discern, which makes them personal and powerful. ‘Willow Tree is not necessarily a likeness, it’s a way of conveying emotion…a reminder of someone we want to keep close, or a memory that we want to touch, or see.

I hope that people can recognise subtle expressions or gestures of those they love, and from that, be able to select pieces that are uniquely meaningful for them.’ Susan Lordi