Acer buergerianum - Trident Maple

Mirrored lampworked glass. The trunk is hollow and blown at the torch. The foliage is made from solid black and clear glass and added after the trunk has cooled. After the piece is finished, the trunk is mirrored through a chemical process. I have always had a fascination with bonsai trees, but I lack the patience for the years it takes to grow a nice specimen. While it is still time consuming, making a bonsai tree in glass satisfies my lack of patience. For this particular piece, I was trying to capture a sense of weight in the foliage - having leafy areas that droop instead of being perky and upright.