Fusion Frames, a project by mixed media artist Daryl Cox Jr, sees reclaimed wood and vintage picture frames harmoniously combined to create unique, one-of-a-kind artworks that look as if trees have naturally grown into picture frames. To create these pieces, Cox utilizes fallen tree branches and roots gathered from nearby forests, along with carefully sourced antique or secondhand frames that he then meticulously carves into a single whole. The results are pieces that tell stories of both the tree’s natural-growth and the frame's human-made one, celebrating individuality and sustainable practices. This is why Fusion Frames are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of Responsible Consumption and Production and Life on Land.
When creating his pieces, Cox carefully considers the history contained within both his reclaimed wood and thrifted frames. For example, his piece Salazar sees him repurposing an antique Eastlake frame (mahogany) from a Willamette Valley Oregon antique merchant along with a Madrone Driftwood Branch reclaimed from the Lincoln City area on the Oregon Coast, creating a piece that inherently pays its respects to the natural and anthropological history of Oregon.
The global art market’s carbon footprint is estimated at 8.4 million tons of CO₂ annually, which also generates about 92 million tons of material waste yearly. By repurposing old frames, Fusion Frames also challenges the need for mass-produced goods within the art market, advocating for a greater appreciation of originality and eco-conscious creations in every part of an artwork’s journey. Other notable innovations in the sector include non-toxic soil-based paint and reusable modular exhibition walls.
In a world often obsessed with the new and mass-produced, Daryl Cox Jr.’s Fusion Frames stand as a quiet proof to the beauty of second chances. By weaving together the history-laden grains of reclaimed wood and the forgotten elegance of vintage frames, he does more than create art—he resurrects stories. Each piece becomes a gentle rebellion against the art world’s wastefulness, proving that sustainability and profound beauty aren’t just compatible; they’re inseparable. Fusion Frames invites audiences to see not just the art on the wall, but the legacy in the materials: a reminder that the most meaningful creations honour both nature’s resilience and humanity’s own shared history.
Find out more about Fusion Frames by Daryl Cox Jr and his other initiatives by checking his Instagram @fusionframesnw or website www.fusionframesnw.com.