Abrams and Hanick are the business and life partners behind NatureMaker, creators of museum-quality sculpted trees, which grace public and private spaces across the country and around the world.

Abrams is the artist; he’s responsible for the vision and design execution of each project. Over the last 40 years, he has worked in many media, from wax to metal to wood to silk, and he personally trains each of the artisans NatureMaker employs.

Eighteen years ago, he and Hanick, who explores and develops the opportunities which NatureMaker pursues, began a small business called California Country Trees, dealing mostly with private collectors.

"When we started, we were basically a two-person operation, using all our own money," says Hanick, "and we were one of the pioneers in this whole field by far. When we started sculpting trees there was nothing—basically plastic trees that people took out of a box."

Though Hanick has a business degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, there’s no case study on how to start such a unique enterprise, especially for one so rooted in fine art.

"Even when we started, we always looked at what we did as art," Hanick says. "We began by selling to private collectors. Then we met the vice president of store design and planning for Macy’s in San Francisco, and he commissioned us to work on a new concept he was creating, which became Macy’s Cellar."

Abrams and Hanick went on to create Christmas windows and then work on the entire main floor of the store. From there, they were asked to do work in many branch stores all over Northern California and Nevada. "He really introduced us to visual merchandising and store design," says Hanick. "We saw that the tree world was a whole different market, and we had to go out and learn what the market wanted."

In 1984, Abrams and Hanick formed NatureMaker, and the news about them spread by word of mouth and through exhibits at trade shows. "The designers pushed us into the market. People loved our work because we were unique. There wasn’t anything like this at the time."

As NatureMaker branched out, Abrams and Hanick had to keep growing. "The business grew organically, and when you have a business like this you learn as you grow. Each project is an incredible learning experience and takes you to the next level."

NatureMaker branched out into the shopping center market in 1987, meeting with designers and attending shows sponsored by the ICSC, the International Council of Shopping Centers. That’s still a good part of the company’s market.

One of the projects on NatureMaker’s agenda is work on the renovation and expansion of Carousel Mall in Syracuse, New York, slated to be the world’s largest when finished.

"Up until recently, our clients primarily requested ficus and palm trees," says Hanick, "But now that’s evolving and changing. People get tired of the same thing. Now instead of fifty identical trees, we’re doing projects that might be just one monumental tree, as big as 70 feet or taller." The trees are used in food courts, indoor parks, corporate atriums, or any specialized area.

"Our corporate real estate projects tend to be larger than our shopping center installations," Hanick says, "and that market has more longevity and is less subject to cyclical ups and downs."

By 1991, NatureMaker had done one major project for the Mirage hotel and casino in Las Vegas. "That gave us the opportunity to expand how we created our trees" Hanick says. "Up to then we had used found, natural materials, but for the Mirage we had to fabricate the whole thing.

"Bennett came up with his own unique structure and bark system, which allowed us to create incredible windswept pine trees like giant bonsais, trees that had old-looking character, yet had an internal system which allowed the branches to cantilever out to the room."

NatureMaker discovered a whole new field then, called Themed Entertainment. Since then, their work has been featured at dozens of hotels, restaurants, casinos and theme parks. They’ve worked at every casino in Las Vegas, and for such well-known names as Sheraton, Hilton, House of Blues, Eastman Kodak, Citicorp, Tiffany’s and Borders.

"We’re still using the same system Bennett created, but we perfect it each time," says Hanick. "We sculpt the entire tree; most companies create a urethane or fiberglass mold, or use concrete. We create something completely handmade each time."

NatureMaker appeals to the designers and architects who spec out their trees for large projects. NatureMaker occupies 50,000 square feet of working studio in Carlsbad, Calif., and employs some 40 people full time, as artists, renderers, welders, sculptors, scenic painters, and people who do the foliation of the trees. All the artists have been personally trained by Bennett Abrams.

"There’s no school for doing this kind of thing," says Hanick. "It’s Bennett training them, and then they build on their experience in creating one of a kind trees. Most of our staff has been with us for 4 or 5 years." NatureMaker also hires temporary employees as warranted by projects, and contracts out much of their engineering work. "Everything taller than 8’ gets engineered," says Hanick.

"The main reason people choose us is the artistry detail and naturalism, but then on a more practical basis, they know that our engineering is good and that our materials meet local fire codes. Our trees look real, and feel real, and they have all the nuances of something organic."

The pair have been life and business partners for the last 25 years, but they don’t step on each other’s toes. "What’s nice about it is that Bennett is totally responsible for design and design execution," says Hanick, "while I bring new opportunities to his attention. We’re a case of the sum of two halves being greater than the whole."

Clients don’t seem to be concerned about Abrams’ and Hanick’s personal relationship. "We’ve been lucky because we work in the design world and the kind of people we deal with are sophisticated," says Hanick.

"Some may be aware or our relationship, and if they want to put two and two together that’s fine with me, but it’s just not brought up. One thing that you learn really fast, is that people aren’t going to hire you because you’re gay, they’re going to hire you because you’re good."

Abrams and Hanick are beginning a return to their roots in the fine art market, showing their work at an international art exposition in New York aimed at fine art collectors, both corporate and private.

At the same time, they’re gaining more national exposure for their trees, including a recent feature on the Home & Garden Network’s "Dream Builders" program, and Abrams has received several awards, including a recognition by Baron’s Leaders of the New Century, as one of the top 500 achievers in the world of the new millennium.