I am loving these little Puffball Bonsai sculptures by Alexandra Gjurasic.  They make me happy with their colorful stripes and cotton candy poufs.  I could just leave it at that.  But I like to take things a little deeper.  They’re fun and completely awesome, but what are they saying to me, besides let’s play?

The high level of artificiality mixed with the traditional china pot speaks to me of the pet-like nature of Bonsai’s.  They are high maintenance mini-trees cultivated mainly as a form of meditation and expression of creativity on the part of the caregiver.  They seem, to me, to be like pet trees.  Gjurasic is taking that idea even further by “dressing them up” in colorful stripes and glittery flowers.  It’s interesting to think about flowers and houseplants in this way– these living things, which thrive in their own natural environment, cut down or cultivated in order to give us pleasure.

Oh and Gjurasic’s trees also spun off paintings, which are almost as enchanting!  To see more of Alexandra Gjurasic‘s work, please visit her website.

All images are via the artist’s website.