In 1996, when German visual artist Birgitta Volz was dabbling with wood printing and tree bark printing, she felt particularly attracted to a rather “unspectacular” willow ( Salix caprea) tree.

Her canvas is often made out of mulberry trees, which she has planted in her garden at Batu Arang, Selangor. The inner bark of the tree, which is rich in fibrous material, produces high-quality paper.