Frequently Asked Questions about Willow Tree by Susan Lordi

Frequently Asked Questions

How to purchase product
Catalogs and collection lists
- Is there a catalog that lists all Willow Tree pieces currently available?
Construction and repair
Family groupings
Custom orders
Specific gift-giving occasions
Donations and cause-marketing pieces
- Is there a Breast Cancer piece?
- Does Susan create specific cause-marketing pieces as donations to charitable organizations?
Ethnic diversity in the product line
- Are you planning to make more ethnic pieces? How about pieces for multi-racial families?
The Nativity and The Christmas Story
Miscellaneous
- Is there a stand-alone dog or cat or horse in the line?
About the artist
- Can you tell me a little about Susan Lordi's background?

How to purchase product

Can I buy product from this website?

You cannot purchase product from this site. DEMDACO, the wholesale company that manufactures Willow Tree®, only sells product to retailers. Please see the Store Locator for a listing of stores in your neighborhood that carry Willow Tree. You’ll find a button for the Store Locator under the photo of each product, or under the heading About Willow Tree. If you prefer shopping online, there are many retailer sites that carry Willow Tree, and you can purchase from those.

Where are the prices?

There are no prices, nor can you purchase product, from this website. Each retailer determines its pricing. Please check the Store Locator under the heading About Willow Tree®; type in your zip code, and you’ll receive a listing of local retailers that carry Willow Tree.

How can I find discontinued pieces?

There are some online retail websites or private parties through eBay or similar sites that specialize in carrying discontinued product, so a search might uncover pieces that you’re specifically looking for. Buyer beware: Willow Tree® does not control the quality, condition, or cost of discontinued product, so take care before purchasing.

Catalogs and collection lists

Is there a catalog that lists all Willow Tree pieces currently available?

There is no consumer catalog that shows all available pieces, but a Gift Guide is created every year and made available to most retailers who carry Willow Tree®. The Gift Guide suggests pieces for various occasions, and contains a product index with photos. Or, you can register and log on as a user of this site to see an entire product history. You can then create and print your own Willow Tree collection.

Construction and repair

What are the figures made of? Is it wood?

Each Willow Tree® original figure is sculpted and carved by Susan using a special sculpting clay. The originals are then sent to a factory in China to be cast in resin that exactly captures each of her knife marks. The resin is cured, and each piece is individually hand-painted (and the paint is lead-free).

What's the best way to repair a broken Willow Tree piece?

The pieces are made of resin, which can break when dropped. Two-part Epoxy works best. Try a very minimal application of Epoxy along the site where the break occurred. That should give you enough time to maneuver the pieces into place before it sets.

Your box says that 'Susan Lordi hand carves each original piece', but there's a Made In China sticker on the bottom of each piece I purchase. What's that about?

Susan Lordi sculpts and carves each original Willow Tree®. The originals are then sent to a factory in China, where they are cast in resin that exactly captures each of Susan’s knife marks. There is a lengthy process of quality control to ensure that casting and painting techniques are just right for each piece. Susan and the Willow Tree team work directly with the painters so that the color, finish and style match her original. The reproductions are individually hand-painted in China, and the sticker is affixed prior to packaging and shipment. If the piece has ©Susan Lordi with a date, carved into the back of the piece, then you know you have an authentic Willow Tree.

Can Willow Tree be displayed outside?

The paint used on all Willow Tree® sculptures is water-based and applied in thin layers, so if exposed to weather, the paint may wear off or streak unevenly, and the color will eventually change and/or fade.

Family groupings

Is there a Willow Tree sculpture about adoption?

Child of my Heart is intended as an adoption piece. There is a subtle difference in hair and skin color that could imply that mother and child are not related… it could also represent a bi-racial mother and child, or a caregiver and child. The sentiment is a love poem from mother to child, to speak especially to someone who had or was planning to adopt. Child of the World, Into my life you came, Bringing sun into my life, Making family our name.

Is there a 3-D sculpture of the Family plaque that shows both parents and two children?

Not at this time. You could group several pieces to reflect your family… try any of the Mother and child pieces (Mother and Daughter, Mother and Son, Chrysalis, Close to me, Child of my Heart, Tenderness or Angel of Mine) PLUS Father and Son or Father and Daughter. Or, Together (to represent parents) grouped with a figurine that best reflects age and personality of each of your children, such as Together PLUS Brother and Sister, or Together PLUS Brothers, or Together PLUS Heart of Gold and Kindness (girl).

I have three children... is there a figurine for larger families?

Not at this time. Try grouping several pieces to reflect your family. Or, look at The Roses in my Garden™ collection – three boys and three girls of different ages and personalities, each of which can be purchased separately. They work especially well in the new Reliquary which Susan designed for composing customized family settings.

Is there a figure of parents with twin babies? How about older twins?

There are several pieces specifically designed for twins —Two Together is a set of two separate babies. They are about 6-7 months old, and starting to show personalities. Susan felt a figurine of just the babies would speak most universally to parents of twins, since it could be sex-neutral. If you prefer parents with twins, try grouping New Dad with Angel of Mine to show each parent holding a newborn twin.

For older twin girls, Two Alike is an identical twin piece, but with two unique personalities. For fraternal twin girls, try Sisters by Heart or Heart and Soul. Also you can pair two of the girl figurines from The Roses in my Garden™ collection.

For older twin boys, try pairing two of the boy figurines from The Roses in my Garden™ collection, such as Inquisitive Child and Caring Child.

For older twin boy/girl, try Heart of Gold and Keepsake, or Brother and Sister, or pairing two of the figurines from The Roses in my Garden™ collection, such as Spirited Child and Caring Child.

Custom orders

Do you make the figurines Together or Promise in a size that would fit on a Wedding Cake?

Due to customer requests, Susan re-sculpted Promise as a 6” Cake Topper. It has a round base with carved roses to provide stability on top of a cake.
As with all Willow Tree® sculptures, the resin used for the Cake Topper is cured and painted with lead-free paint. In addition, it has undergone specific testing to ensure it is food safe.

Can I customize the Cake Topper with different hair or skin colors?

Unfortunately, Susan is not able to customize the Cake Topper (or other Willow Tree® pieces) to accommodate special requests for hair or skin color. Most Willow Tree pieces are painted with soft rubbed-off colors, blended lines and low contrast, which merely suggest hair and skin color. The hair color on the man and woman in Promise is a medium brown, but with the soft hand-rubbed finish, it can be seen by viewers as anything from very light to very dark brown hair tone.

Can Susan create a custom figure for me/ for my organization?

We regret that Susan cannot create custom figures for individuals or organizations. We’re usually able to suggest alternate existing figures or groupings that might capture a similar sentiment to what’s requested. All requests and letters are forwarded to Susan so she knows what customers want, and what might be missing from the product line.

Specific gift-giving occasions

Do you have a Willow Tree sculpture appropriate for baptism, first communion, quinceanera and for godparents?

Yes, there are many figures that can celebrate these occasions. Try looking at the Gift Ideas section: spiritual milestones, and new beginnings • new babies.

How about pieces for a new Graduate?

Sure – there are many pieces shown in the Gift Ideas section: graduates • teachers.

I'd like to buy my child's Teacher a gift... can you suggest Willow Tree pieces that would be nice?

Absolutely – there are many pieces shown in the Gift Ideas section: graduates • teachers. Small metal-edged ornaments make wonderful lower-cost gifts if you have many teachers to appreciate.

Donations and cause-marketing pieces

Is there a Breast Cancer piece?

Angel of Courage was introduced in 2001 as a donation piece for breast cancer research through the Susan G. Komen fund. Both Susan and DEMDACO contributed a portion of the profit from the sale of each piece. When the donation program with Susan G. Komen expired, Angel of Courage was discontinued. Due to many customer requests, Susan re-carved and reintroduced Courage in January 2006. The meaning of this piece has expanded from its original expression of triumph over breast cancer to include innumerable obstacles people face with grace and dignity.

Does Susan create specific cause-marketing pieces as donations to charitable organizations?

Susan has created cause-related figures for the Susan G. Komen Foundation and Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. Susan, her husband Dennis, and DEMDACO have contributed to these and other organizations, which has led to similar contributions to Breast Cancer foundations and Children’s Hospitals in Canada and England.

Susan and Dennis support many cultural, visual and performing arts organizations in their community of Kansas City. “When I want to be inspired, I may see contemporary dance, a theatrical performance or an historical art exhibit. It is this integration of the arts which I so strongly believe in – one discipline feeds the others.”

Ethnic diversity in the product line

Are you planning to make more ethnic pieces? How about pieces for multi-racial families?

We’ve received many letters about increasing the diversity in the line, and Susan is working hard to respond. It takes 12-15 months to bring a piece to market, which can seem like a long time before customers’ requests are answered.

Currently, there are several pieces that could be interpreted as ethnically diverse, including Angel of the Spirit, Angel of Grace, With Love and Blessings. These pieces are a celebration of the diversity in our culture.

Child of my Heart can be interpreted as bi-racial. This piece was inspired by a friend of Susan’s who is very involved in international adoption, so the hair and skin color of the mother and baby are different shades (the child has browner skin), which could imply adoption. The piece is equally relevant for racially diverse birth mother and child.

In carving and painting all Willow Tree® sculpture, Susan strives for soft contrast and blended lines. She actually uses four skin tones that range from light to dark. Several other angels and figurines have variations of complexions intended to reflect different ethnicities, but she tries to keep the coloration of all pieces very subtle so that they can have universal appeal.

The Nativity and The Christmas Story

What other pieces will work with the classic Nativity collection?

There are many figures that complement the Nativity scene, including: Peace on Earth, a tree, a prayer, Angel of Hope, Angel of Light, Bright Star, Angel of Miracles, Angel of Prayer (she will fit on the top of the Crèche), Angel of Harmony and Serenity. You might try posing an angel atop the Angel Stand or the Pedestal to give some height to your display.

I have The Christmas Story and would like to purchase more pieces for it.

Currently The Christmas Story consists of the two large figures of Mary and Joseph, the Sanctuary, and the three-piece set Gentle Animals of the Stable. There may be more pieces added in the future, but for now, this completes the entire display.

Would the Three Wisemen or Nativity animals work with The Christmas Story?

The Three Wisemen, Shepherd and Stable Animals and Ox & Goat are designed for the classic Willow Tree® 6-piece Nativity and Crèche. These pieces are designed on a much smaller scale than The Christmas Story, and will look very odd if placed together. As companion to The Christmas Story, please look for Gentle Animals of the Stable. This three-piece set of donkey and two sheep is perfectly proportioned for the larger-sized 14.5” figures. They fit on the base of the Sanctuary, surrounding the Holy Family, watching, warming and protecting.

Miscellaneous

Is there a stand-alone dog or cat or horse in the line?

Susan likes to use animals to express sentiments in relationships, or as symbols for healing, peace, friendship, kindness, etc.; however, the only stand-alone animals are found in the Nativity and The Christmas Story collections.

About the artist

Can you tell me a little about Susan Lordi's background?

Susan Lordi is known for her innovative art that is exhibited and published internationally. She received an MFA with honors from University of Kansas in 1993; she has taught textile art and design at the university level, been a visiting artist at art schools around the country, and exhibited her art textiles in curated museum shows and traveling exhibitions. In 2000, she was selected as one of ten US artists featured in the book Art Textiles of the World: USA. A monograph of her work was published in the Portfolio Collection by Telos Art Publishing. Willow Tree® was Susan’s first opportunity to design product for the commercial gift industry. Introduced in January 2000, Willow Tree has become a successful gift line in the US and internationally. Susan continues to grow and expand Willow Tree with new formats, carving techniques and materials that reflect the same purity and simplicity of form. Susan and her husband live in Kansas City, Missouri where she has a studio in the Crossroads Arts District. They have two grown children.