Arborsculpture is the word for it. Has anyone played around with it? I have some nice chairs going in different species, oak, birch and ash. The best part of this art form is getting a couple of branches to grow together by grafting. Harts are something anyone can do, simply bend a couple of branches (that are originating directly opposite each other on a sapling) up and tie them on to the main trunk pointing down (forming a hart). Graft them by slicing off a little bark where they touch each other. Wrap the graft with some stretch tape and enjoy your hart as it grows. You can remove the piece of trunk going through the center after the grafts have formed well. There was a fellow in California who opened a roadside attraction named Axel Erlandson. He grew all kinds of shapes from 1929 until the 60's I was inspired by his work and vowed to carry on. But to really develop the art form it will require a lot of people trying different techniques on different species. I would love to hear about anyone who is giving it a go.
Richard Reames