Recycled Trees began as a meditation on material waste in the construction industry, which then extended to an examination of waste in the art handling business. The materials I use aren’t searched for and found (as is true with many found object sculptures) but are saved – in a moment when they would otherwise be discarded. These protected materials are then used to create plants that had a significant presence in my life at the time when I acquired the materials. The project demands innovation due a scarcity. I commit to using only the amount of a certain material that has serendipitously come into my life. I don’t take steps to purchase additional material were I to “run out.” Thus, careful planning is paramount.