{"id":600469,"date":"2026-04-11T17:30:43","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T17:30:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/600469\/"},"modified":"2026-04-11T17:30:43","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T17:30:43","slug":"biodegradable-thermoplastic-casts-trees-into-light-sculptures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/600469\/","title":{"rendered":"biodegradable thermoplastic casts trees into light sculptures"},"content":{"rendered":"

MJ Fraser builds lamps using trees from his childhood garden<\/p>\n

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Trees From The Garden is a collection of lamps<\/a> by MJ Fraser, developed from impressions of trees found in the designer\u2019s childhood garden. Each piece is formed using individual moulds taken from sections of bark and branches<\/a>, resulting in distinct variations across the series. The lamps are fabricated primarily from a biodegradable<\/a> thermoplastic<\/a>, establishing a material<\/a> system that combines organic reference with synthetic processing.<\/p>\n

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The project reconsiders the use of trees in design by focusing on external surface qualities rather than conventional timber<\/a> extraction. Instead of processing wood into standardized elements, the approach captures textures, irregularities, and natural patterns, translating them into modular components. These elements are assembled through a \u2018cut and paste\u2019 method, producing layered compositions that emphasize variation and repetition. The process draws on associative and intuitive construction methods, where forms are combined through incremental decisions within a defined system.<\/p>\n

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TFTG 05 worbla, natural mineral paint, lighting components | all images courtesy of MJ Fraser<\/a><\/p>\n

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MJ Fraser captures tree bark textures into intricate Lamps<\/p>\n

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Material efficiency is embedded in both the selection and fabrication process by designer<\/a> MJ Fraser. The thermoplastic contains approximately 30 percent waste sawdust, linking the material back to its source while reducing reliance on virgin inputs. Production generates minimal waste, as offcuts are reheated and reused as welding material or internal structural components. The material\u2019s heat-activated adhesive properties remove the need for additional bonding agents, and surfaces are finished using natural mineral paint.<\/p>\n

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Across the collection, the lamps function as translations of natural forms into constructed objects. Surface textures, layered silhouettes, and diffused light qualities contribute to an atmosphere that references the spatial and visual experience of trees. The project establishes a relationship between memory, material, and fabrication, where natural structures are not replicated directly but reinterpreted through a controlled design process.<\/p>\n

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TFTG 05 worbla (biodegradable thermoplastic), natural mineral paint, lighting components<\/p>\n

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TFTG 03 worbla (biodegradable thermoplastic), natural mineral paint, lighting components<\/p>\n

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TFTG 04 worbla (biodegradable thermoplastic), natural mineral paint, lighting components<\/p>\n

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TFTG 06 worbla (biodegradable thermoplastic), natural mineral paint, lighting components<\/p>\n

\"biodegradable
TFTG 06 worbla (biodegradable thermoplastic), natural mineral paint, lighting components<\/p>\n

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TFTG 10 worbla (biodegradable thermoplastic), natural mineral paint, lighting components<\/p>\n

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TFTG 10 worbla (biodegradable thermoplastic), natural mineral paint, lighting components<\/p>\n

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taking a mould from a sycamore maple tree<\/p>\n

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cataloging the mould<\/p>\n

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applying the sheet plastic<\/p>\n

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assorted moulds<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"MJ Fraser builds lamps using trees from his childhood garden \u00a0 Trees From The Garden is a collection…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":600470,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[449,458,459,64,63,17480,460,134,40950,4697,1449,79525,6325],"class_list":["post-600469","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-biomaterials","tag-design","tag-entertainment","tag-flower-and-leaf-art","tag-lighting-design","tag-materials","tag-plastic-art-and-design","tag-wood-and-timber-architecture-and-design"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/600469","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=600469"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/600469\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/600470"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=600469"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=600469"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=600469"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}