For those who give comfort with
caring and tenderness
Introduced January 2000

"This was the first piece that I sculpted in the summer of 1999. I worked out the form intuitively. I didn't know how it would turn out. I wanted it to be very open - open to interpretation from the viewer. The bird can be a metaphor for protection or comfort or healing. When I created it, I was thinking about the idea of fragility and how we need to heal our inside - our soul. The bird is so fragile and light - a metaphor for the vulnerability of our inner feelings. This piece helped define Willow Tree."

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So loved, so very loved
Introduced Summer 2004

"This piece is inspired by the memory of holding my children when they were really tiny - holding them so close that it involves all of your senses - the scent of the fuzzy head against your cheek - the skin-to-skin warmth - the realization that you can love another being so very, very much. I wanted to capture that sensory memory that every mother has from when she held her newborn infant - an innermost quiet joy. The sentiment has a lullaby feel to it. I think this is one of my best pieces because the composition, the form as a whole, is strong from all viewpoints."

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You will always have my heart
Introduced January 2005

Heart of Gold was inspired by a young cancer patient, Scott Kristopher Innes, at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. "Scott's boundless and positive energy reflected on those all around him, and as a result, good things continue to radiate from his spirit," artist Susan Lordi says of Scott, son of her good friends Barb and Bob Innes.

"His courageous spirit and kind smile showed me how one little heart of gold can continue to bring so much love, joy and comfort to others. It is my hope that this figurine expresses the pure and honest affection between a child and those who love and care for him."

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An embrace of Peace
Introduced Summer 2003

"The idea for Peace on Earth was formulating as our country was making plans to bomb Iraq. In a way, it was my response - I wanted to make this figure very human, not an angel. It's not about celestial peace, but peace on earth among men - what we need to contemplate on now. I wanted her feet to be on the ground, not flying in the clouds. I gave her dress a very earthy color to 'ground' it. The lamb is a symbol of peace; the woman, a peacemaker. Peace - here on earth - is what I tried to portray in color, symbol and look."

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Offering peace, love and hope during this Christmas season
Introduced Summer 2001

"This piece was inspired by my dad. One of my favorite times is when our family gets together on Christmas Eve to eat dinner, play music and open gifts. Towards the end of the evening, my dad reads poems that he writes -- and this is what I most look forward to each year. Dad cuts through the materialism of the gifts with his poems. They are humorous, from the heart, and always seem to capture some aspect of each of us that he knows will bring a secret smile. What he offers is the most prized of all -- a gift from his heart. The most important things we give to each other are the intangibles... time, care, love, laughter. This angel's empty hands represent these gifts."

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Protect and cherish; give wings to fly
Introduced January 2006

"A chrysalis is the protective covering in which a caterpillar develops into a butterfly. The title is a metaphor for the relationship between a mother and her teenage daughter -- a time of letting go, in support of emerging independence. A mother's first response is to protect her child. But the greater gift is to provide the love and trust that helps her daughter find wings to fly."

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Hero, we honor thee,
keeping safe your memory
Introduced January 2006

"I carved this memorial in dedication to those who have suffered a loss in the service of others. I want to quietly honor the courage of the hero who has died and the everyday courage of the hero who is left. This patriot’s grief is to be honored as well."

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Creative expression comes from within

"The Dancer is about creativity. The sentiment refers to the fact that everything we create starts with a little idea -- and a lot of times we get these ideas in quiet moments of inner reflection. I wanted to give credit to moments of daydreaming that are seemingly unproductive, but from which spurts of creativity arise. We are quick to reward action and work -- the process of doing. But a lot of creativity sparks from seemingly inactive moments, so it is important to take the time to daydream -- imagine – and get excited about possibilities. It's about giving yourself permission to quietly sit and think -- these moments are to be valued. This piece is about celebration of creativity -- in all its shapes and forms."

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Making memories that last lifetimes
Introduced Summer 2006

"I learned to sew from my mother, and she learned from her mother and aunt. I wanted this piece to not only depict the process of learning, sharing and making, but also the creating of memories that are passed down with love through generations. I hope it resonates with anyone who has lovingly carried on a tradition within her family."

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Hold dear the promise of love
Introduced Summer 2004

"I carved this piece so that it could be viewed ‘in the round’. You get a different understanding depending on how you turn the piece. If you view from the side where the man and woman's arms are around each other, it looks like they're kissing. If you turn it and view it from where you can see their faces and clasped hands, it looks like they're dancing. I like this duality of interpretation. 'Promise' could refer to the onset of new love, or the expectation of what's to come ... a holding-on to that feeling throughout your life..."

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Hope lifts us up!
Introduced January 2006

In January 2006, a small, playful figurine holding aloft a wire balloon was introduced. Titled Hope, this piece was created to fill our hearts with the optimistic joy of a child. It also represents DEMDACO support of an international charity called Care for Children, which works to enrich the lives of Chinese orphans by placing them in loving, supportive Chinese families in China. Care for Children has a ‘Vision for a Million’ – 1 million Chinese children in Chinese families in China by 2010. To help achieve this worthy goal, DEMDACO contributed $1.00 to Care for Children for each Hope figurine purchased in 2006.

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