Most cork on the market is the renewable outer bark tissue peeled off the Cork Oak tree (Quercus suber) which is native to SW Europe and NW Africa. Once the trees are about 25 years old, the cork tissue is debarked every nine years. The process does not injure the tree—cork oaks live for about 200 years.
A tree in its prime, at roughly 80 years old, might yield 440 pounds of cork. Currently and for many years prior, the Montado district of Portugal has produced more than half the world’s cork. As cork is harvested sustainably, the cork forest remains fairly undisturbed and has become a safe haven for many an endangered species. Cork is also easily recyclable. Cork is impermeable, buoyant, elastic, durable, rot-resistant and fire resistant.
A pair of hand-carved cork figures secured atop rubber plinths.
By Tommy Mama, www.etsy.com
Carved Cork Sculpture by Betsy Odom.
www.betsyodom.com
The Cork Colosseum has taken retired postal worker, Ciro Califano more than two years and 10,000 wine corks. To date, Ciro has completed about a dozen buildings. He slices the wine corks (from his son’s restaurant) into small, workable pieces.
Used wine corks become the Coliseum. All you need: wine corks, a ruler, a level, sharp knives, glue and tons of patience. By Ciro Califano, a former postal worker. www.ansa.it
Cork carving of the Temple of Poseidon at Paestum, Italy.
By Ciro Califano, retired postal worker.
www.liveauctioneers.com
Cork Cow with Button Hooves on wheels
at the Charles Creek Tasting Room, Sonoma, California.
wineharlots.com
Close-up of below cork portrait by Saimir Strati.
For a 3-D effect corks are stacked one on top of another.
Cork Art: The Guitarist – mosaic using 300,000 corks in a 96 square meter banner. Largest cork portrait of all time. By Albanian artist Saimir Strati, en.wikipedia.org
Cork figure by Conrad Englehardt,
Conrad stains the ends of some of the wine corks.
corkbycork.com
Cork figure by Conrad Englehardt,
corkbycork.com
Cork portrait by
Scott Gunderson, scottgundersen
Great slow mo how to videos: facebook.com/scottgundersen.art
Cork portrait in process by
Scott Gunderson, scottgundersen.com
Cork Painting, 36″ x 48″
By Allison Baer.
How to: allisonbaerart.com
Wine cork logo for Callaway Vineyard
via: simplysuzannes.blogspot.com
Wine cork arrangements by Beki Morris
of Austin, Texas. wine-cork-designs.com
Chinese Cork Carving (also known as Cork Sculpture) is a traditional Chinese artwork typically depicting intricate landscapes. Hand carved, glued together, lacquer painted. shoutique.wordpress.com
Chinese Cork Sculpture
Photo copyright © 2010, Jason Idzerda.
Wine cork Eifel Tower
by Steven Leslie?, www.oneofacork.com
Cork Giraffe.
How to: lilblueboo.com
Cork Vases by Steven Leslie
This one: Approx. 670 corks, Size: 37″ tall.
Steven also employs cork-skin veneer using the outer decorative layer of thinly razor shaved corks. Then each one is wet, un-curled and then firmly pressed flat, cobbled into a tight pattern like brickwork and glued in place. He creates Lazy-Susan’s, serving platters, coaster sets, chess boards, etc with this method. www.oneofacork.com
Kohler Jones custom furniture and design,
San Francisco, California, www.kohlerjones.com
Cork Walls.
Cork Bark – www.leecork.com
Also: corkstore.com
Cork Furniture – Cork Forest Mosaic Sideboard.
Iannone Design of Philadelphia, www.2modern.com
Stencilled Cork Floor.
Cork can be waxed, shellacked, stained or painted.
designamour.com
Embroidered cork fabric.
Cork Fabric Handbag.
Cork fabric is sturdy enough to be used as upholstory, wallets, belts, etc… Cork Fabrics: www.leecork.com, Cork Handbags: www.corx.com
Cork Bath Mat
How to: craftynest.com
Cork Birdhouse.
Lots more: etsy.com/shop/CarefullyCorked
Wine Cork Bulletin Board.
Lots of designs to choose from.
www.bigday-bigmoment.com
Cork Letters.
Or cut out a plywood letter and nail the corks in straight-on.
storenvy.com
Cork Sculptures by Francesco Ferrario
www.foodwoolf.com
Cork Art Ideas
Stamps, place card holders, trivets, mats, bulletin boards, back splash, Christmas ornaments, bowls, tableware. Cork can be crumbled and then adhesive is used to bind pieces together into a formed mass.
Cork Blocks for Carving
Cork Flooring
Is made from the left over scraps from wine cork production.
Ecohaus
Jelinek Cork Group
Cork Fabric
www.corkstore.com
www.leecork.com
Cork Wallpaper
More Cork
Portugal – corkway.com
Cork Handbags: www.corx.com
Bowls: www.branchhome.com
One mature cork tree might give enough bark every 9 years for 25,000 wine corks.
I am inthroughled with this website…sooooo interesting….I find it interesting how hard people work to provide us with natural products…..then the inhuman ways they are disrespected …..just the idea of saying a kind word of THANK YOU.
Although retired now, I still think of all the ‘perks’ we employees would receive during the holidays besides so many other times. We had one company who would bring us donuts EVERY morning…we just got tired of it! Do those workers have a surprise taken to them …
I hope to learn more about the workers/families…
Wow, I can’t believe this! Amazing artwork. I really don’t think of using a cork just to create a great art like this! Thanks for sharing. Love it!
inthroughled = enthralled.
Yes, it bugged me enough to take the time to correct it.
I too am enthralled. All of the art forms and mediums fascinate me.