{"id":182,"date":"2023-12-05T19:27:57","date_gmt":"2023-12-05T18:27:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/?page_id=182"},"modified":"2026-04-09T16:45:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T14:45:15","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/?page_id=182","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video autoplay loop muted preload=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Branchboarding-_-Tree-of-Motion-_-Nico-Rayf-4Te-1.mp4\" playsinline><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dear All, Dear Friends!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am happy to welcome you here, and also thrilled to see how many different people have interests in my work! I&#8217;ll provide you with some basic and detailed information about me, beginnings and the history, philosophy, future goals and ambitions of my project:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My name is Nico Rayf. I am a passionate Branchboarder and Performer, founder of &#8220;Branchboarding&#8221; and &#8220;Tree of Motion\u201c. Currently based in beautiful Vienna, Austria, where I live, enjoy practicing my work, and perfecting my Branchboarding skills, hoping to be a good example and inspiration for you &#8211; future Branchboarders. Of course also for all fans and people around the world in general. (Participate, Follow or Support: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/?page_id=211\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Click Here<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/?page_id=211\">!<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Basic information<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"p1\">&#8211; <span class=\"s1\">Branchboarder, Performer <br \/><\/span>&#8211; <span class=\"s1\">Founder of &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.branchboarding.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"www.branchboarding.com\">Branchboarding<\/a>&#8221; and &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.treeofmotion.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"www.treeofmotion.com\">Tree of Motion<\/a>\u201c<br \/><\/span>&#8211; <span class=\"s1\">Body Mass: <\/span><span class=\"s1\">Height &#8211; 177cm (5&#8217;7&#8243;), Weight &#8211; 66\/77kg (145.5\/170lb)<br \/><\/span>&#8211; <span class=\"s1\">Riding Style: Urban Cruising, Street Style (Normal and High-Speed), Downhill\u00a0<br \/><\/span><span class=\"s1\">&#8211; Stand: Regular and Goofy <br \/><\/span>&#8211; <span class=\"s1\">Records: Speed up to 75km\/h (46mph), Long Distances up to 25km (15.5mi)<br \/><\/span>&#8211; <span class=\"s1\">Number of self-made Branchboards: 5 natural grown models, 1 mimic (clone edition)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><strong>Milestones \/ Timeline<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p>  <br>  <br><span class=\"s1\"><b>2010<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">&#8211; Finding the branch<br><\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><b>2011<\/b>&nbsp; <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">&#8211; Building my first Branchboard &#8220;The Origin&#8221;<\/span><br>&#8211; My first and second Branchboarding videos (now offline)<br>&#8211; Building more (naturally grown) Branchboard models,<br>&#8211; Registration of the NicoRayf.com domain<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><b>2012<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">&#8211; My third Branchboarding video (now offline)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><b>2013<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">&#8211; Creation of &#8220;The Monkey&#8221; my first Branchboard model without the handle (only for Downhills!<\/span>)<br>&#8211; Creation of the first Mimic &#8220;The Clone&#8221; (Prototyping \/ 3D Model of &#8220;The Origin&#8221; re-produced in other Material)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><b>2014<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">&#8211; Exhibition \/ DESIGN BIENNALE \/ Powerstation of Art, Shanghai, China<\/span><br><span class=\"s1\">&#8211; My first SPEED RECORD (60km\/h or 37mph)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><b>2015<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">&#8211; Creation of the second generation of Mimics (Test \/ Limited Edition of 3 models &#8220;The Clone&#8221; &#8211; 2015)<br><\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><b>2016<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">&#8211; Official naming and founding of Branchboarding and Tree of Motion<br><\/span>&#8211; Registration of Branchboarding.com and Treeofmotion.com domains<br>&#8211; My 4th Branchboarding (and Tree of Motion) video (now offline)<br>&#8211; Publication of the DIY building instructions (Branchboarding also as Open Source)<br>&#8211; First Article about Branchboarding comes out&nbsp;<br>&#8211; Surprising emergence of (my) Branchboarding video (on Facebook &#8211; 4.7M views)<br>&#8211; Creation of the first Branchboarding Catalog\/Visualization (a book for my personal use only)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><b>2017<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">&#8211; Creation of the third generation of Mimics \/ Art Edition &#8220;Limited 9&#8221; (cooperation with Angewandte Robotic Lab)<br><\/span>&#8211; Traveling and performing in China (Chengdu, Chongqing, and Changsha)<br>&#8211; Exhibition \u201e\u00c4sthetik der Ver\u00e4nderung&#8221; at MAK, Vienna, Austria<br>&#8211; Branchboard &#8220;The Clone&#8221; (Mimic &#8211; 01\/09) sold to the Collection of the University for Applied Arts, Vienna, Austria<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><b>2018<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">&#8211; Branchboard &#8220;The Clone&#8221; (Mimic &#8211; 02\/09) sold to a Private Collection in China<br><\/span>&#8211; Exhibition &#8220;Creative Robotics&#8221; \/ ARS ELECTRONICA CENTER, Linz, Austria<br>&#8211; Exhibition &#8220;Innovative Product&#8221; \/ International Wood, Saw, and Forester Fair \/ Klagenfurt, Austria<br>&#8211; Further conceptualization and development of the Project<br>&#8211; Creation of the second Catalog\/Visualization (a book for my personal use only)<br>&#8211; My second SPEED RECORD (75km\/h or 46mph)<br>&#8211; Application for small Funding for the project by Bildrecht Vienna, Austria<br>&#8211; Application for Funding (Art and Design) by the BKA &#8211; Federal Chancellery Republic of Austria<br>&#8211; Research and collection of information about extension-options of the project.<br>&#8211; Registration of &#8220;Tree of Motion&#8221; as an official Brand\/Company.<br>&#8211; Branchboard &#8220;The Clone&#8221; (Mimic &#8211; 03\/09) got stolen (Night of 2nd September, 7th District, Vienna, Austria)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><b>2019<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">&#8211; First Application (as a Startup) for Funding by the Vienna Business Agency<br><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><b>2020<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">&#8211; Second Application (as a Startup) for Funding by the Vienna Business Agency<br><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><b>2021<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">&#8211; Third Application (as a Startup) for Funding by the AWS &#8211; Austrian Wirtschafts Service<br><\/span>&#8211; Tree of Motion gets a first Room \/ HEADQUARTERS of BRANCHBOARDING (2nd District \/ Vienna, Austria)<span style=\"font-size: revert; color: var(--ast-global-color-3); background-color: var(--ast-global-color-5); font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;\"><br><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><b>2022<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">&#8211; Further development and continuation of the Project<\/span><br>&#8211; Creation of the third Catalog\/Visualization (a book for my personal use only)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><b>2023<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">&#8211; Application for Funding (Design) by the BKA &#8211; Federal Chancellery Republic of Austria <br><\/span>&#8211; Work on the Visualization and next official Publication \/ Decision of going public again<br>&#8211; Branchboard &#8220;The Clone&#8221; (Mimic &#8211; 04\/09) sold to a Private Collection in Vienna, Austria<br>&#8211; New Websites<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2024<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; Branchboard &#8220;The Clone&#8221; (Mimic &#8211; 05\/09) sold to a Private Collection in Vienna, Austria<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2025<\/strong><br><br>\u2013 Further development and refinement of the concept, infrastructure and direction of the project<br>\u2013 Studio design and optimisation \/ preparation of the working environment for the next phase<br>\u2013 Preparation of the next applications, publications, and public steps<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2026<\/strong><br><br>\u2013 Continued avoidance of social media presence and project promotion in the usual sense <br>(perhaps not the best move by standards, but not entirely without purpose and so far, still part of the process)<br>\u2013 Preparation of a series of new Branchboard models<br>\u2013 Work on the next publication, applications, and public presentation of the project<br>\u2013 Soon: full readiness, functionality and a proper official re-start of the project<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>  <br> <\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t.slider-info-857.bafg-slider-info .bafg-slider-title {\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tfont-size:\n\t\t\t\t\t22px\t\t\t\t;\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\n\t\t.slider-info-857.bafg-slider-info .bafg-slider-description {\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t.slider-info-857.bafg-slider-info .bafg_slider_readmore_button {\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\n\t\t.slider-info-857.bafg-slider-info .bafg_slider_readmore_button:hover {\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t<\/style>\n\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"bafg-twentytwenty-container slider-857  \"\n\t\t\t\tbafg-orientation=\"horizontal\" bafg-default-offset=\"0,5\"\n\t\t\t\tbafg-before-label=\"stay\"\n\t\t\t\tbafg-after-label=\"tuned\" bafg-overlay=\"1\"\n\t\t\t\tbafg-move-slider-on-hover=\"\"\n\t\t\t\tbafg-click-to-move=\"1\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img class=\"skip-lazy\" data-skip-lazy\t\t\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Branchboarding-_-Tree-of-Motion-_-Nico-Rayf-_-Donaukanal-_-1mai2018-image1.jpg\" alt=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t<img class=\"skip-lazy\" data-skip-lazy\t\t\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Branchboarding-_-Tree-of-Motion-_-Nico-Rayf-_-Donaukanal-_-1mai2018-image2.jpg\" alt=\"\">\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"bafg-slider-info-wraper\">\n\t\t<div style=\"\" class=\"slider-info-857 bafg-slider-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n<p>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>    <\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><span style=\"box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; caret-color: rgb(51, 65, 85); white-space: normal; text-size-adjust: auto;\">Definitions and Goals<\/span><\/summary>\n<p>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u201cBranchboarding\u201d<\/strong>&nbsp;is a new type of sport and mobility art that combines branch shapes with (skate-longboard) wheels. Whether a Branchboard considered a piece of sports equipment, a pure means of transportation or a toy is up to the individual. By combining the shape of the branch, type of wood, your body, individual temperament and the landscape, unique and very personal experiences are created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The philosophy behind Branchboarding focuses on individuality rooted in nature, self-experience, movement experience in the landscape or \u201cArt of Flow in the (Urban) Landscape\u201d, and the combination of an active lifestyle with the fascination of free movement as a form of expression.<br><br>Even if the central focus is on mobility, it is about a holistic, nature-related but also technology-related lifestyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Branchboarding is also a perfect example of applied art in public spaces. Originating from transmedia art, branchboarding integrates several disciplines, including design and architecture (encompassing material science, geometry, and informatics), natural sciences, landscape art, social design, performance art and body\/sports arts from both cultural and physical perspectives (refer, for instance, to Modern Dance or Movement Culture).&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Branchboarding should not be seen merely as the design of one or more \u201criding objects.\u201d It\u2019s not just a branchboard, but branchboarding as a whole (all the effects of this \u201cidea\u201d within the community, but also in the digital and analog world) that should be seen as a chain reaction, a work of art, a social sculpture. (See: Joseph Beuys \/ Social Sculpture: \u201cArt that aims to have a formative influence on society.\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through their performative public presence, every branchboarder attracts a lot of attention (from people of all age groups and social backgrounds). It\u2019s not just about a unique and nature-oriented design of their \u201cvehicle,\u201d but also about the individual way of dealing with it and the manner of their movement in the landscape. \u201cArt of Flow in the (Urban) Landscape.\u201d At the same time, he\/she represents a philosophy, a value system based on fundamental natural principles (and aspects of life) that are universal and timeless. (They are thematized and passed on through strong, straightforward yet complex symbolism). Every branchboarder, with their performative public presence, adds a positive symbolic, visual, aesthetic, and emotional value to the environment and culture, spontaneously potentially inviting others to become a part of it and actively do something good for themselves and their surroundings.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Extremely interesting are the various geographical, landscape, and cultural backgrounds and the dialogue between people who have decided to build or acquire their branchboard (have it custom-made) and use it in their individual way (where they move daily or also at \u201cspecial places\u201d of their choice). Some will see their branchboards more as accessories (fashion, design, or art pieces), others will use them to expand their movement patterns or push their limits (in street style or downhills). Some will define branchboarding as an opportunity for amusing and active time with friends or family. This certainly creates a very interesting\/valuable dynamic and competitive spirit within the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\">Go to: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.branchboarding.com\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"www.branchboarding.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Branchboarding.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&#8220;Tree of Motion&#8221;<\/strong> is the first brand and research project dedicated to &#8216;Branchboarding.&#8217; Our goal is to make Branchboarding more accessible and easier to experience for others, and to apply the insights gained in developing new approaches and products that help us continue our research more efficiently and safely. Crystallizing universal natural principles and merging them with cutting-edge methods and technologies, we aim to craft unique alternatives that embrace lifestyle and design as well as cultural elements, prioritizing mass individuality over mass production. Also focusing on individuality rooted in nature, self-experience, symbiosis with the environment, and the combination of an active lifestyle with the fascination of free movement as a form of expression.&nbsp;<br><br>It\u2019s important to understand that our project enclose the entire phenomenon of Branchboarding and not just the design and sale of a product. It\u2019s about the establishment of a new genre, the development of a complex infrastructure, and the overall phenomenon and documentation of what is being explored within the community and of course by ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\">Go to: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.treeofmotion.com\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"www.treeofmotion.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">treeofmotion.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<p>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1714\" height=\"2560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Branchboarding-_-Tree-of-Motion-_-Nico-Rayf-_-Steinschleuder-_-DSC_0024-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-460\" style=\"width:1200px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Branchboarding-_-Tree-of-Motion-_-Nico-Rayf-_-Steinschleuder-_-DSC_0024-scaled.jpg 1714w, https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Branchboarding-_-Tree-of-Motion-_-Nico-Rayf-_-Steinschleuder-_-DSC_0024-201x300.jpg 201w, https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Branchboarding-_-Tree-of-Motion-_-Nico-Rayf-_-Steinschleuder-_-DSC_0024-685x1024.jpg 685w, https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Branchboarding-_-Tree-of-Motion-_-Nico-Rayf-_-Steinschleuder-_-DSC_0024-768x1147.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Branchboarding-_-Tree-of-Motion-_-Nico-Rayf-_-Steinschleuder-_-DSC_0024-1028x1536.jpg 1028w, https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Branchboarding-_-Tree-of-Motion-_-Nico-Rayf-_-Steinschleuder-_-DSC_0024-1371x2048.jpg 1371w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1714px) 100vw, 1714px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><strong>EXTENDED VERSION<\/strong> <br>(Detailed information, my personal perspective)<\/summary>\n<p>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\"><summary><span class=\"s1 is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><b>1. How It Started<\/b><\/span><\/summary>\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">Building my first Branchboard, &#8220;The Origin,&#8221; and founding Branchboarding as a consequence of it wasn&#8217;t my original intention. It was a byproduct of another idea I was working on in 2009-2010. I never thought that building a &#8220;Big Slingshot&#8221; (for shooting small portable vintage car TVs into the air to make my videos fly) would lead to such an adventurous project like Branchboarding, simultaneously having such a significant impact on my life.<\/span>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">I wasn&#8217;t a skater or longboarder before, and I also never used scooters (of any kind) for fun or transportation. So when I saw for the first time this &#8220;scooter-like looking branch&#8221; lying there, in a pile of branches and leftover material from the big Slingshot I mentioned earlier, I wasn&#8217;t thinking of mounting skateboard or longboard trucks and wheels on it. My first idea was to make a short art movie or music video (with a green screen in the background), where I would just stand\/balance on it and eventually create an illusion of riding or maybe even flying a branch like this. That was the original reason why I took the branch with me back to my studio in the city. Still, the big Slingshot project was my primary goal at this point.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">Important to mention is also how I actually got the idea of building a big Slingshot in the first place. Some months before I went to the countryside searching for an optimal branch for the Slingshot, I already saw a good one in Vienna, directly in front of the house I was living in at that time.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">One morning (March 2010), on the way to go shopping, I saw the pieces of a felled tree. Underneath, I found the perfect shape for a large slingshot fork. I decided to keep it, put it aside, and take it home on the way back. Fortunately (from the actual standpoint), I didn&#8217;t take it immediately, but first went shopping. When I came back, all the branches were gone, even the piece I had put to one side. The material had disappeared, but the idea remained.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Branchboarding-_-Tree-od-Motion-_-Nico-Rayf-_-Sling-Shot-ZERO-2010--scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1237\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Branchboarding-_-Tree-od-Motion-_-Nico-Rayf-_-Sling-Shot-ZERO-2010--scaled.jpeg 2560w, https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Branchboarding-_-Tree-od-Motion-_-Nico-Rayf-_-Sling-Shot-ZERO-2010--300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Branchboarding-_-Tree-od-Motion-_-Nico-Rayf-_-Sling-Shot-ZERO-2010--1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Branchboarding-_-Tree-od-Motion-_-Nico-Rayf-_-Sling-Shot-ZERO-2010--768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Branchboarding-_-Tree-od-Motion-_-Nico-Rayf-_-Sling-Shot-ZERO-2010--1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Branchboarding-_-Tree-od-Motion-_-Nico-Rayf-_-Sling-Shot-ZERO-2010--2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">It wasn&#8217;t a few months later that I told the story to a friend, who then offered to go to the forest in \u201eKrems an der Donau\u201c with him to look for a new forked branch. I accepted his offer, and a few weeks later, after a storm, we found a broken branch from a huge red beech.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">What a twist! The reason why I built my first Branchboard and, subsequently, Branchboarding came to life was a simple &#8220;blessing in disguise,&#8221; making the whole story more exciting and special. (Random coincidence or mysterious destiny?)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">It took a few more months before I again started to think about the &#8220;scooter-like looking branch&#8221; and the video project I was planning to do with it. I was busy working on other projects, including the &#8220;Big Slingshot,&#8221; and the branch was standing somewhere in the corner of my studio the whole time.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">One day I showed it to someone (a friend who was a skateboarder), and I told him about my idea. Afterwards, he gave me his old skateboard trucks and wheels in case I would want to use them. That is exactly what happened one random evening\/night. Driven by a spontaneous impulse, I skipped the (blue\/green screen) video idea and went directly for the other analog option, mounting the skateboarding trucks and wheels on the branch, creating my first Branchboard, &#8220;The Origin.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\"><summary><span class=\"s1 is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><b>2. Experiencing my First Branchboard<\/b><\/span><\/summary>\n<p> <br> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">Riding my first Branchboard for merely five minutes revealed something I had never expected &#8211; it performed exceptionally well! Not only was it remarkably stable to stand on, but it also felt comfortable in my hand. The act of pushing and steering was incredibly natural, effortless, and smooth. I was immediately hooked! As I ventured both indoors and outdoors, progressively expanding my distances (beginning with circuits around my studio and later in the city), and gradually increasing my speed, my aim was to learn as much but also as safe as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">After a short period, perhaps just a few weeks, I made a significant change by swapping out the small, rigid skateboard wheels for larger, softer longboard wheels. The transformation was astounding. In comparison, it felt as if I were gliding or hovering above the ground. This alteration greatly aided me in navigating minor obstacles like stones, cracks, and curbs.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s2\">I also came to realize that using conventional wood screws to fasten the skateboarding trucks to the branch was inadequate. Over time, they would loosen due to vibrations. Consequently, I made the decision to employ bolts <\/span>that goes through <span class=\"s2\">the whole wood. This proved to be a wise choice, as it considerably enhanced the strength and stability of my Branchboard. I could feel and hear the difference immediately.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">The experience of using natural wood material, a branch with its distinctive shape and texture, standing on a rounded surface rather than a flat one, and feeling the unchanged bark in my hand while simultaneously traversing the city was utterly unique. From the very beginning, utilizing a branch as both a sporting and transportation tool became a daily ritual &#8211; something that continually fascinated and challenged me.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">Not only was it remarkably easy to ride, and the sensation was unparalleled, but the reactions from onlookers (other people) surprised me immensely. Like me, no one had ever witnessed anything quite like it. It seemed almost too simple and functional to be true! Furthermore, it symbolized something profoundly (super) natural and timeless. Each day, I found myself engaged in conversations with people from diverse backgrounds &#8211; regardless of age, gender, nationality, social or political stance, orientation, views, or profession. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">Their positive feedback, curiosity, and fascination with Branchboarding were, and continue to be, prominently evident. This served as one of my primary motivations to establish Branchboarding as an international movement, a new cultural genre, and a research project. I aimed to explore its potential and how this &#8220;simple&#8221; idea might evolve in various directions over time, possibly influencing others positively, just as it had influenced me.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\"><summary><span class=\"s1 is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><b>3. A few extra words about safety<\/b><\/span><\/summary>\n<p> <br> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">I was lucky from the beginning to understand the importance of safety. Like I mentioned earlier, I was trying to learn slowly, gradually, and very carefully to avoid or minimize the possibility of an accident (harming others or myself). The most important thing to remember is not to leave anything to luck or chance. You shouldn&#8217;t gamble with it. It&#8217;s very easy, in the split of a second, through one unfortunate situation, to negatively influence or even tragically lose your or take somebody&#8217;s life! Being focused and prepared for every possible situation you can imagine, but also for unpredictable things, is the basic necessary thing.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">Here are some examples: 1. Someone in front of you, who&#8217;s walking slowly and straight, jumps to the side unexpectedly. 2. You are riding pretty fast on the sidewalk, some house or car doors open, and someone, also really fast, is stepping or jumping out in front of you. 3. The same with corners. Don\u2019t think naively that: &#8220;it will be fine, most likely &#8211; there is nobody or nothing, so let&#8217;s just go for it.&#8221; No! It&#8217;s not true. Anytime a person, pet, bicycle, scooter, or a car can unexpectedly cut your way or hit you in a matter of a second!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">Another important thing is to be aware that not only things from your surroundings can surprise you, but also that your skateboard\/longboard truck, screws, bearings, or maybe the whole Branchboard can have some issues or break unexpectedly. It happened to me a few times! I was very lucky that nothing really bad happened!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">At this point, I also need to write that this project is still an experiment and research in an early stage for me. I am not responsible for your decisions or any actions. I also don&#8217;t give any safety guarantees for any participation in this project. Building your own or buying a Branchboard and riding it remains your own decision and responsibility. <strong>BRANCHBOARDING AT YOUR OWN RISK!<\/strong> When you are underage, you should ask your parents for their permission or guidance. <strong>Parents are responsible for their children!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\"><summary><span class=\"s1 is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><b>4. Creation of More (Naturally Grown) Models<\/b><\/span><\/summary>\n<p>  <br> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">After I got (more or less) used to my first Branchboard, I became curious about how it would be to ride another branch. Of course, with different properties like size and shape, weight and elasticity, or the distance between the skateboard trucks.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">I decided to find some new branches, but I didn&#8217;t want to cut healthy, living trees for it. (First, because of nature itself, and second, because of bad karma). I thought it would be nearly impossible to find good material lying somewhere between trees, but I went anyway, taking it easy, thinking that, like in the case of my first branch, it could appear just unexpectedly. Or maybe not.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">&#8220;Let&#8217;s have a nice walk through the woods, enjoy the time, and just see what will happen.&#8221; I did it a few times. And, on the other hand, I also contacted city gardeners of Vienna who gave me some tips and also contacts to the Lainzer Tiergarten (wildlife preserve in the southwest corner of Vienna).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">After some searching sessions (weeks, maybe months), I collected a few interesting branches I could test. One of the important things I learned after finding these branches was the difficulty of mounting the trucks on some of them. You can have a good branch, but with the wrong positioning (of the trucks) or just one mistake by drilling holes for screws, you can easily destroy the branch.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">Of the five different Branchboards I built, three were super-special for me. Of course, the first one, &#8220;The Origin,&#8221; then &#8220;Skinny&#8221; (2011), and &#8220;The Monkey&#8221; (2013).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\"><summary><span class=\"s1 is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><b>-&gt; &#8220;The Origin&#8221;<\/b><\/span><\/summary>\n<p> <br> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>2011, European beech tree, found at Egelsee\/Krems an der Donau, weight: 8 kg, length: 106 cm, height: 115 cm, width: 27 cm including wheels, diameter: top 6 cm, bottom 9 cm, distance between the trucks: 60 cm (It was\/is possible to take it as sports luggage on an airplane).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The spaces for the trucks were cut with simple tools such as axes, saws, and files. During the first days, I fixed it with narrow skateboard trucks and small wheels, which were a gift from a friend, using normal wood screws. After the first ride, I was surprised by how well it ran. After this, I noticed that the screws were coming loose due to the vibrations, so I decided to use bolts that go through the wood instead. I also switched to large longboard wheels. The branch was deliberately not painted or varnished to observe the natural process of decay. After four years of continuous riding in all conditions and seasons, cracks started to appear due to the drying process. Some areas of the surface have been polished by the direct contact of gripping, making them shiny. Numerous crashes have also taken their toll in the form of chipped bark, scratches, friction points, etc. The awareness that the branch, in its ideal form which I admire to this day, will constantly change\u2014possibly even break\u2014and my curiosity to test the limits with all its possibilities was the reason to produce a mimic of it: \u201cThe Clone.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\"><summary><span class=\"s1 is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><b>-&gt; &#8220;Skinny&#8221;<\/b><\/span><\/summary>\n<p> <br> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">2011, Cherry tree, found in Lainzer Tiergarten, Vienna, weight: approximately 3 kg, length: 110 cm, height: 120 cm, width: 25 cm including wheels, distance between trucks: 75 cm.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">This branch was very thin and elastic. One could jump on it, like a trampoline. The top had a diameter of about 3 cm, and the bottom was roughly 6 cm. I really enjoyed balancing on the skinny, round surface. The trucks were mounted with wood screws, which repeatedly required tightening. At first, the distance between the trucks (75 cm) made it difficult to jump onto the curb, but after a while, I learned how to handle it. The lightness of the branch gave me a feeling similar to that of gliding on water while always knowing that such a fragile branch could break any second. Being in this state of concentration and focus is irreplaceable for me. One day, I pulled the grip back so hard that the branch broke, and I crossed this threshold, thus experiencing the transience of the branch. The top part (roughly 1 m) remained in my hand, while the rest took off from under my feet, between the cars, in the middle of the street, until it came to a halt on the other side of the road. Since I was aware from the beginning that this would happen at some point, I was not sad or disappointed. My feeling in this moment was more one of accomplishment and liberation. I also knew that I will, of course, find another branch and use the same Trucks and Wheels on it.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\"><summary><span class=\"s1 is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><b>-&gt; &#8220;The Monkey&#8221;<\/b><\/span><\/summary>\n<p> <br> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">2013, Plane tree, found in the courtyard of the University of Applied Arts, Vienna, weight: 15 kg, length: 140 cm, height: approximately 50 cm, width: approximately 60 cm, distance between the trucks: approximately 70 cm.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">The name came from the monkey-like face that was naturally grown on it. And maybe also how I felt and looked riding it (like a monkey). The shape of this branch was very different from that of its predecessors. It was closer to a longboard, on which one would stand with spread legs and no longer a scooter that one could grip in the front. Once you were standing on it, it was almost impossible to push to keep going. It was actually more of a downhill-tank. Unfortunately, I was not able to test this branch for more than a year because of drying; the trucks began to warp in opposite directions.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\"><summary><span class=\"s1 is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><b>5. Mimicking Nature \/ &#8220;Cloning&#8221; My First Branchboard<\/b><\/span><\/summary>\n<p> <br> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">Even though it wasn&#8217;t my original goal to create a copy of a naturally grown branch, I found the idea very interesting. How would it be to ride the same shape of a branch but produced in other materials? How would it be to ride it together with another person, either for fun or in a competition? What differences would we discover between the original branch and the copy? My curiosity was strong, and the opportunity, technical skills, and access to the right machines were all there, so I decided to seize the occasion and go for it. We tried, and indeed, we succeeded, opening up a new dimension in this project. Another unexpected event occurred, leading me to even more interesting experiences and challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\"><summary><span class=\"s1 is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><b>-&gt; &#8220;The Clone&#8221; (Prototype 2013)<\/b><\/span><\/summary>\n<p> <br> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">In 2013, layered boards-beech, weight: 8 kg, length: 106 cm, height: 115 cm, width: 27 cm including wheels, diameter: top 6 cm, bottom 9 cm, distance between trucks 60 cm.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">In 2013, with the help of a friend who is an architect, I was able to produce an exact copy of the branch. First, a 3D model was created, which was then cut out of laminated beechwood plates in an L-shape, using a CNC milling machine. The shapes were then sanded and treated with wood oil. The process required roughly 60 hours of work, consisting of 20-30 hours of scanning, modeling, and machine preparation, 6 hours of cutting and laminating, and about 24 hours of milling. The prototype was produced at the University of Applied Arts, Vienna. During the trial period of roughly one year, the copy broke twice. The first fracture occurred while riding when the rear wheels were blocked by an obstacle, and the handle was simultaneously pushed forward with both hands, creating a sharp point that could have easily caused injury. Luckily, nothing happened! After the first incident, the object was simply glued back together and tested further. It broke the second time while I was demonstrating how to jump in front of an audience. A loud crack, and I landed on my butt! I was met by laughter, and the clone had broken in two! After this, I glued it a second time, and the splices are now more stable than the wood itself (it cannot break twice in the same place). The trials were a success, showing both that it is possible to manufacture a functioning copy, as well as revealing room for improvement.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\"><summary><span class=\"s1 is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><b>-&gt; &#8220;The Clone&#8221; (2nd Generation Mimics \/ Test Edition 2015)<\/b><\/span><\/summary>\n<p> <br> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">In mid-July, 3 objects previously commissioned at a carpentry were completed. They consist of 3mm layered birch boards, and are more flexible and also 1 kg lighter than beech wood. The surface was roughly sanded so that the milling machine traces were still noticeable (visually and haptically). The objects were also coated with waterproof varnish.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">The 3 Branchboards were intensively tested by me and two other friends who are experienced skateboarders. These models are extremely strong and stable. Also, riding three same Branchboards at the same time together through the city was a special (extraordinary) experience. The dynamic between us in the group was very special but also for the people on the streets, it has a performative element visually. It wasn\u2019t one but a group of Branchboarders riding trees. It was the time, shortly before the official names &#8220;Branchboard,&#8221; &#8220;Branchboarding,&#8221; and &#8220;Tree of Motion&#8221; were fixed and then officially published in the year 2016.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\"><summary><span class=\"s1 is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><b>-&gt; &#8220;The Clone&#8221; (3rd Generation Mimics \/ Limited 9 &#8211; Art Edition 2017\/18)<\/b><\/span><\/summary>\n<p> <br> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">A limited Art Edition &#8220;The Clone \/ Mimics Limited 9&#8221; was developed in 2017\/18, which was realized in cooperation with the &#8220;Angewandte Robotics Lab&#8221; and the department for wood technology at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. For this purpose, we still used the original digitalized index of the branch &#8220;The Origin,&#8221; and the material, form, and size did not change. Layered boards-birch, weight: ca. 7 kg, length: 106 cm, height: 115 cm, width: 27 cm including wheels, diameter: top: 6 cm, bottom: 9 cm, distance between trucks: 60 cm. Milled with the help of an industrial robot and not like before in 2013 and 2015 where a standard milling machine was used. This edition was even more exact and slick. Specially after the long process of sanding, first with the machine and secondly by hand. After sanding, each piece was coated twice. We did it for the protection from dirt and water, so Branchboards from this edition are also waterproof. Using a transparent varnish, we made the individual and richly textured laminate layers visible, which made every piece even more unique and beautiful.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">In the year 2017, a piece was acquired through the collection of the Univ. for applied arts and showed at the exhibition &#8220;Aesthetics of Change&#8221; in the Museum for Applied Arts (MAK) in Vienna. Also in the year 2018 by &#8220;Creative Robotics,&#8221; Ars Electronica Centrum in Linz, and as an &#8220;Innovative Product&#8221; by the International Wood, Saw, and Forester Fair presented in Klagenfurt, Austria. In the beginning of the year 2018, a second piece was acquired through a private collection in China.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">The same year later, on the night of 2nd September, in the 7th District in Vienna, one Branchboard from this edition got stolen. It wasn\u2019t a big shock for me at that moment, but I felt a little bit stupid. What was I expecting, leaving it in front of a pub on Saturday night, unlocked? (No matter that I could see it through the window). But on the other hand, what can\/will you do with it after stealing an object like this? Ride it? Try to sell it? Hide it and wait for something? Having it in your secret collection? Or maybe someone just used it that night and then threw it into a garbage or a river (Donaukanal or Danube). Who knows? After searching for it that night for 2 or 3 hours, I started to have a better feeling about it and imagined these different scenarios for the future. Which way will the story of the missing Branchboard go? At that point, I still had the other six from this edition, so somehow I could afford to not care about it too much. Besides that, I also knew that I can build new natural grown models from scratch at any time, and that&#8217;s exactly what Branchboarding is about\u2014constant movement and change.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\"><summary><span class=\"s1 is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><b>-&gt; &#8220;The Clone&#8221; (3rd Generation Mimic \/ Black Unique &#8211; 2018)<\/b><\/span><\/summary>\n<p> <br> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">Producing the Art Edition &#8220;Limited 9,&#8221; I got the vision of a glossy, high-polished, wet-looking, black-painted Branchboard. Just to see how it looks and how it feels to see a materialized version of it, I used the opportunity and indeed, such a piece was created. I mounted smaller trucks and hard, middle-sized black wheels on it, and the effect was amazing! I really liked it a lot from the first moment, and I couldn&#8217;t remember owning something so slick and high-end produced. It was a very nice &#8220;bonus&#8221; to an already great-going project. I never exhibited or used it afterward. It&#8217;s still in perfect condition, packed, waiting for the right moment and place to be shown to the public or maybe used in one of my Branchboarding performances. I am really not sure about this; we will see.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<p> <br> <\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\"><summary><span class=\"s1 is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><b>6. How Branchboarding Influenced My Body and Mind<\/b><\/span><\/summary>\n<p> <br> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">It&#8217;s common knowledge that daily exercise or movement, in general, keeps you feeling fresh and healthy. In terms of fitness and health benefits, using a Branchboard every possible moment for many months and then years had, of course, some significant physical and mental influence on me. This influence also depended on other factors like seasons, my actual lifestyle (food, sleep, stress exposure, and so on), and my body and mindset changed many times over these years. Before I dive into the details, let me provide a list of both basic and more advanced things I gradually learned over time:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"s1\">Standing on a rounded, narrow, and not flat surface (the branch).<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span class=\"s1\">Avoiding kicking the back wheel with my heel while pushing.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span class=\"s1\">Regulating speed and applying brakes (slowing or stopping using my shoes or other methods).<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span class=\"s1\">Navigating through obstacles on the ground (cracks, holes, stones, etc.).<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span class=\"s1\">Steering effectively at different speeds.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span class=\"s1\">Jumping up and down (curbs and stairs).<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span class=\"s1\">Maintaining good balance (riding without using my hands).<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span class=\"s1\">Running with a Branchboard in my hand (for rapid stops, maneuvers, and smooth transitions between concrete roads, grass, sand, or water puddles).<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span class=\"s1\">Staying calm and composed in dangerous situations or at speeds I had never experienced before.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">One thing I didn&#8217;t consider at the beginning was losing weight. Being athletic and not overweight initially, it was a significant change for me. An interesting but also amusing realization was that I lost exactly the weight of the Branchboard I was riding (&#8220;The Origin&#8221; \/ 8 kg or 17.6 lbs). It showed how active and dedicated I was from the beginning. There was no plan, just learning by doing.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">Another observation was how my breathing changed over time. Riding long distances (up to 25 km or 15.5 mi), my condition and endurance improved significantly.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">With time, my existing muscles became stronger, and due to the &#8220;untypical movement and exercise,&#8221; some new muscles started to develop. Each Branchboard model came with a different set of characteristics, leading to new things to learn from scratch. This variety is what makes Branchboarding so fun and special. It was also crucial to ride my Branchboards using both regular and goofy stances to maintain muscle balance in my body.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">While stretching or special preparation before riding wasn&#8217;t a part of my routine, I did experience overextension here and there for a few days after particularly intense sessions. However, I never seriously injured myself, possibly due to my riding style and the philosophy of learning carefully, always knowing and feeling the actual limits of my body in the moment.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">These are all typical experiences one might expect when starting any type of activity, sport, or fitness routine. I had my share of small accidents and very few more serious ones, each serving as valuable lessons. Some left marks on or in my body, but thankfully, no one besides myself was injured. The most common causes of accidents were curbs, cracks, or stones on my path, accidentally kicking the back wheel while pushing, slipping down from my Branchboard (due to bad shoes or wet surfaces), or sliding sideways with my Branchboard &#8211; an unwanted slide due to sand or water on the ground. With more experience, accidents became less common. In the present moment (Summer 2023), I feel super-safe and am in my best shape ever.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">One recent focus has been on the many &#8220;micro details&#8221; my body does automatically, without my conscious intention. It&#8217;s fascinating how it works! Right now, I can&#8217;t even describe it accurately. Your body does things you can only observe and feel afterward. Perhaps I can call it &#8220;minimal latency.&#8221; I plan to research and document it more in my future videos.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">I truly enjoy the movement itself and the gradual development of my skills on almost every possible occasion. Sometimes, I plan for a long and slow ride to relax and savor the moment, but it often ends up being a long-distance, full-speed run. Something just clicks, and I&#8217;m pulled into a special state of mind. It becomes a pure physical reality game with real-life consequences, putting me perfectly in the moment. There&#8217;s a unique connection between my mind, body, Branchboard, and surroundings. The landscape doesn&#8217;t move, but it&#8217;s filled with moving and living elements, all connected by one line &#8211; a line that sets me in a state of flow, where I get charged. It provides a great balance to the normal daily routine and overthinking. It&#8217;s an excellent method for resetting and collecting myself.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\"><summary><span class=\"s1 is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><b>7. The challenging Potential of the Idea Itself<\/b><\/span><\/summary>\n<p> <br> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Being a passionate Branchboarder, building my own Branchboards, and loving riding them as often and as well as possible is one thing. Being the first person trying to define and name this phenomenon and, as a result, becoming a founder of Branchboarding and the first brand and research dedicated to it is another. It came unexpectedly, in some sense disruptive and overwhelming, kind of changing the direction of my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The early stage was almost purely fun and enjoyment for me. Confronted with all those people, looking at me while riding my first Branchboard, sometimes even screaming after me from a distance. Talking with me, asking questions, sharing their thoughts, feedback, and ideas, but also giving me a lot of tips. Everyone has their interpretation and version of what I should do next and what would be best for the future of the project. Getting to know so many nice people, sharing positive moments and inspiration together, and of course, extremely rarely, but also being confronted with some cases of pure negativity (disapproving looks, head-shaking, mean laughs, and so forth), was a great experience and fascinating for me. It was also something that almost constantly charged my growing ego. Everything was nice and easy, but on the other hand, I needed to learn how to deal with these situations, development, and also with the changes in myself. It&#8217;s crazy how intense it can get sometimes and how many stages a process like this can have. I learned a lot from it, not only about myself but also about others. Writing about specific confrontations in detail is not my goal here, so let me continue with the part where something more complicated, difficult, and challenging started to draw my attention, thoughts, and feelings, spontaneously provoking me to act or handle in specific ways.         <div class=\"rmwr-wrapper\" \n             data-id=\"rmwr-69ded6f7846c3\"\n             data-mode=\"normal\"\n             data-animation=\"fade\"\n             data-duration=\"300\"\n             data-smooth-scroll=\"true\"\n             data-scroll-offset=\"0\">\n            <button \n                type=\"button\"\n                class=\"read-link\" \n                id=\"readlinkrmwr-69ded6f7846c3\"\n                data-open-text=\"Read More\"\n                data-close-text=\"Read Less\"\n                aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                aria-controls=\"readrmwr-69ded6f7846c3\"\n                aria-label=\"Read More\"\n            >\n                <span class=\"rmwr-text\">Read More<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div \n                class=\"read_div\" \n                id=\"readrmwr-69ded6f7846c3\"\n                aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                data-animation=\"fade\"\n                data-duration=\"300\"\n                style=\"display: none;\"\n            >\n                <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Living it fully, taking it lightly, and enjoying it just like it comes was my original attitude at the beginning. What happened first was the surprising realization of how many people would like to have a Branchboard. For the frequent question, &#8220;Where can I get one?&#8221; I could only give one answer: &#8220;I made it myself, and there is no place you can buy something like that.&#8221; This confronted me with the thought that my creation is not only about myself and my &#8220;private experiment&#8221; but seems to be something more that could be explored on many different levels and also together with other people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The second thing, after some months or first years and many interactions, was that most questions, feedback, and tips started to repeat, revealing patterns and limitations of the &#8220;public perspective and opinion.&#8221; In my position, thinking about this project almost daily for a very long time and going through many possible scenarios for further development, I already knew where (in which direction) and how I would love to go with it. Handling situations where people tell you what to do regarding things you&#8217;ve already thought through in great detail was also something I needed to learn in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most pressing things that often came from people was the vision and expectation of making money from it: &#8220;It&#8217;s a market niche; you must produce and sell them!&#8221;; &#8220;You can get rich from this!&#8221;; &#8220;You need to protect it!&#8221;; &#8220;Don&#8217;t let someone steal the idea&#8221;; &#8220;Do you have a patent?&#8221;; &#8220;You need to be fast!&#8221;; &#8220;Don&#8217;t waste this chance!&#8221;&#8230; and so on and so forth!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It messed with my head greatly, disrupting my playful, childish, and maybe naive attitude and approach to this project. I was never the type of person who puts too much importance on money. Creating something for the purpose of the process and the creation itself was always at the forefront and a natural thing for me, where the potential that came with it is just another type of value. It doesn\u2019t mean that I didn\u2019t think about the possible economic outcomes regarding this idea, and of course, I understand the concept, function, and necessity of money, but it never was (or should ever be) at the top of my priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Especially in the case of Branchboarding, which (as a phenomenon) has much greater potential, carrying a deeper and timeless message or philosophy. If done right, it can be used as a powerful symbol or tool for something beautiful and important for all of us. But misusing it for the purpose of simply making money or representing false principles would just waste that pure potential, possibly overwriting it, making it lost or empty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding that, I felt kind of responsible for it. And I didn&#8217;t have another choice than to try to figure out how to handle this properly. I just couldn&#8217;t leave it to random chance, hoping that nobody would try to take advantage of it, drag it in some strange direction, or maybe even unconsciously (not understanding the whole potential of it) do something negative that could potentially damage the best possible outcome of this project. The idea of waking up one day and seeing something like this, or for another example, getting a message telling me that from now on, I can&#8217;t continue with the project because it was patented (or in another way taken over) by somebody else, was something that gave me a really bad feeling and anxiety at this point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if it was very challenging and not easy to accept, the reality of the situation and the risks seemed to be serious to me. From this moment, Branchboarding became something that needs to be more defined, properly named, and officially represented (published).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, feeling that way and knowing it is one thing, and executing it right is another! Anyway, I did what I could with my current capabilities, and I don&#8217;t think I did it badly. For sure, it served its purpose at that time. Especially because there were already some viral pictures of me riding my Branchboard, published by some other people who photographed me somewhere on the streets, without me even knowing it. So the message was already there, outside in the world: &#8220;there is someone riding tree trunks, logs, branches.&#8221; I am very happy that most of these pictures landed on some funny pages, taken likely as a joke at that point, and nobody else besides me took it (the whole idea) more seriously. Still, I really enjoyed some of the comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My first own publication happened in 2011; it was a very short video, more of an intro. Then, the same year, a longer one. And then, the following year, in 2013, another one, also a short one. (Now all of them are offline). In between, I published a few pictures on different websites, on my own, but I lost track of what happened with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, in 2013, with the help of a friend (an architect who had the skills and access to proper machines at the University for Applied Arts in Vienna), the first Prototype \/ Mimic &#8220;The Clone&#8221; was created. It opened a completely new perspective, but on the other side, also kind of &#8220;added some fuel to the fire,&#8221; drawing more attention. It can be a good and a bad thing at the same time, leading to different kinds of interest, opinions, but also triggering thoughts about mass-production of Branchboards. Which, as I described earlier, wasn&#8217;t my primary desire. Afterwards, I was really happy that we did this Prototype, of course not because of the possible business opportunity, but because of the very good experiences and thought processes we went through with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the first quarter of 2014, I was with my first Branchboard &#8220;The Origin&#8221; in Shanghai\/China, where I exhibited it at the Design Biennial in the Powerstation of Art, for some time. It was a kind of a side display\/exhibition, so it was not a big deal, but the experience of being there, riding my Branchboard on a different type of streets and also interacting with a totally new and wild (infrastructural and cultural) system for some weeks was greater than I expected. It totally overwhelmed me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Later the same year (back in Austria), I rode and documented my first official Downhill and Speed Record (60km\/h or 37mph). It was also a transformative experience for me. (I wish I had done it more often those years, outside of Vienna.) Of course, the difference between Urban Street Style and Outdoor Downhill Branchboarding is gigantic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2015, with the great support of a few good friends, and this time with an external carpentry company, further Prototypes \/ Mimics &#8211; a small Test Edition of 3 Branchboards were created, which happily led to (more or less) one year of intensive testing but also to better documentation of the whole thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the year 2016, a new video and the official names &#8220;Branchboarding&#8221; and &#8220;Tree of Motion&#8221; came out. I have consciously published a (step by step) instruction on how to build your own Branchboard. Giving it for free to everyone and declaring a part of it as open source was a statement and reaction to my previous interactions and discussions regarding fixation on business and money. I didn&#8217;t want to completely give up the possibility of making money from this project. But first and foremost, I wanted to develop a perfect concept and infrastructure for it, placing the core and most important potential of my idea before secondary values, which is the economic part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I still didn&#8217;t have a perfect definition of Branchboarding, but it was a good year in the sense of &#8220;grounding&#8221; the project, which contributed to further positive development. The DIY Instruction was seen by 20k people; the idea received very positive feedback and also motivated some people to make their own Branchboard in the following years. Seeing that, how over time, more and more different Branchboard models popped up around the world, was super interesting and satisfying! Not only my own personal experience, but finally, also a bit brighter, more international, and diverse kind of data began to be produced. Different places (landscapes), different people (characters and bodies), different types of wood\/trees and shapes, different approaches, and riding styles. Great! I was trying to find all of them online, collecting links, pictures\/videos, and descriptions. The fact that people use the term Branchboard, Branchboarding, or Tree of Motion gave me a very good feeling and a sense of gratitude and appreciation. It was a very good sign for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What happened also shortly after the publication of the DIY Instruction was that some digital lifestyle brand asked me for permission to publish an article about Branchboarding on their website\/platform. I happily agreed, and shortly after (August 2016), it was online, looking nice, presenting Branchboarding in a positive way, and at the same time inviting people to participate (build their own Branchboards through my DIY). Kind of like I wanted. A very positive thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What really surprised (and a bit scared) me later (October 2016), was the video they published on their Facebook page. I wasn&#8217;t prepared for something like this. It was a remix\/remake of my own raw video material from my YouTube channel (Tree of Motion). They changed it a bit, added their own music and texts (some slogans), making it a sort of an advertising video for Branchboarding, but also strongly for their own platform, putting their name and a big logo at the end of the video. You can see my name the whole time in the corner of the video, and the video was connected to the article on their website, but still, it gave me a very strange feeling.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To see how some new dynamic is developing freely, representing my Idea in another way, narrative, and aesthetic than I personally would do. Hmmm,\u2026 It was the next major lesson for me! Real consequences of putting your materials under Creative Commons, not really informing yourself about it properly. Of course, I knew that I will never be able to control everything, so from now on, I better should be (mentally and conceptually) prepared for more things like that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had mixed emotions about it, but in general, I concentrated on the good side of it. Almost five million people saw this video, which of course helped me in my primary goal, namely introducing Branchboarding to the world. Shortly after, I produced and published a new, more professional Branchboarding video. I contacted and asked them if they maybe could share it on their platform again, but they never replied to me, so I also decided to let it go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I understood in which position I actually was, and what my next steps should be. I decided to wait with further promotion and next publications till a better infrastructure for the whole project is built.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the years 2016 and 2017, Branchboarding wasn&#8217;t my only focus. I had more things going on simultaneously and other important matters to take care of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among others, I was preparing for my second trip to China, and also managed to organize the production of the third edition of Mimics &#8220;The Clone &#8211; Limited 9&#8221; in cooperation with the University for Applied Arts in Vienna\/Austria. The production of the Limited Art Edition totally overlapped with my trip. I also couldn&#8217;t be personally present at the opening of the exhibition &#8220;\u00c4sthetik der Ver\u00e4nderung&#8221; at MAK-Vienna, where one Branchboard from the Art Edition was presented.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I came back to Vienna a few days before New Year&#8217;s Eve and saw the exhibition in early January 2018. It was great to see my work there, being presented not only online (on websites with funny\/crazy things or DIY portals) but also in its material form as an Art\/Design object, in a Gallery, Museum or Academic context. From this point forward, the origins of Branchboarding were even more undeniably official. Once again, I was super happy how far I had come, elevating the project to this new level while reminiscing about its modest and unexpected beginnings. That was quite an experience!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My primary goal was to return to China as quickly as possible, to spend more time there, exploring and advancing my projects. My return to Vienna was prompted by a desire to witness (and document) the exhibition at MAK, wrap up the production of the Branchboard &#8211; Limited Art Edition, and secure additional funding, potentially through a grant, both for the project and my subsequent journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And again, wishful thinking met reality. What happened was not so much surprising as it was complicated, difficult, and much longer than expected. The next chapter began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, I finished the Art Edition. I also documented the entire process step by step. You can see the video [here]. Parallel to this, I worked on a new description and visualization of the project. I needed it for further applications.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I also decided to try to secure the name \u201cBranchboarding\u201d. I didn&#8217;t want to forbid others from using it, but the idea that someone else might do it before me and then prohibit me from using it was too stressful and scary and was not acceptable. I consulted some lawyers and gathered information about potential protection for the name. I even received a small fund for it, but ultimately it didn\u2019t worked as we had hoped. It took many months and cost much more than I anticipated, plunging me into a tough financial situation, which was already precarious. I didn\u2019t manage to patent the name, but at least no one else can do it now. From this perspective, it was still a positive outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Parallel to the effort of protecting the name &#8220;Branchboarding\u201c, I made my first application for a grant for the project. I submitted it as an Art and Design Project to the BKA &#8211; Federal Chancellery Republic of Austria. It took weeks of preparation and months of waiting for the result. Unfortunately, it was rejected. Whether it was due to the nature of the project or its presentation at that time, I\u2019m not sure. One piece of feedback suggested the project might fare better as a business idea rather than a design and cultural initiative or art. Wanting to develop my idea in a more professional direction and create the necessary infrastructure, which of course should be international, I took this advice and tried to explore that option, seeking funding from sources other than cultural institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I connected with the Vienna Business Agency and the Austrian Wirtschafts Service (AWS). After some calls, emails, and personal meetings, I was reportedly well-informed. My idea seemed promising and innovative to them, having great potential. They gave me the impression that obtaining funding was nearly certain, emphasizing it was &#8220;definitely worth trying.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And again! Starting something (a new application) from scratch, without having the slightest idea of how it works (where others spend years of studying in business schools, learning about economics, marketing laws, and strategies), was maybe not so wise or even a very stupid idea and thing to do. Anyway, being talked into it and convinced that it could really work, I decided to go for it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I really laugh now, writing it down here, remembering the whole process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First of all, I needed to officially register a company (startup), which was also connected to mandatory insurance you need to pay every quarter of the year. The name of the company\/brand &#8220;Tree of Motion&#8221; had been there since 2016, so it wasn&#8217;t a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After the registration was done, it took several appointments with different advisers to determine which application format was the best option in my case. Proper descriptions, visualizations, and the applications themselves took another few months waiting for deadlines and then for the decisions. My project\/application was also rejected here. They listed many different reasons and also provided some suggestions on what I could\/should change in my subsequent applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After that, I tried to rethink and researched even more. Having come so far and invested so much energy and time, I couldn&#8217;t give up and just stop trying. So again, I spoke with several different advisors (I think five), who of course always gave me an enthusiastic feeling about my amazing idea and its potential. Motivating me even further, telling me that the next application would most likely be successful. Of course, most of that advicery wasn&#8217;t free. Overall, I spent more than two years working on it, trying to adjust the project and my applications to secure any kind of funding. On the other hand, I aimed not to lose its essence and the true purpose of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And again, there were many different reasons and explanations for why it didn&#8217;t work. In general, besides me not having any business experience, start-capital, or a strong business partner\/investor, and mostly standing alone with my &#8220;big vision&#8221; for the project, they believed that Branchboarding is more of an art or cultural thing than a fundable business model. Especially after I mentioned that I didn&#8217;t want to go in the direction of a full-scale mass product, but more open, experimental and innovative type of concept, witch should be based more on individual design and customization.&nbsp; &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I even had one or two investors offer me a substantial start-capital, but I didn&#8217;t want thousands (perhaps hundreds of thousands) of copies of this one already-existing Branchboard. Producing it as quickly and cheaply as possible, flooding the market to create some new hype, and reducing the beautiful potential of Branchboarding as a whole to just another standardized product &#8211; trying to sell it for maximum profit under the guise of nature and uniqueness, would be the exact opposite of my ideals and principles.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My goal is to promote mass individuality (where, in the best case, everyone gets their own individual product\/branchbaord) instead of mass reproduction or standardization of a single functional design. I also think that mass products will no longer be as attractive in the future, given the technological trends and sustainable principles. I find it more challenging and fascinating to engage with this, and try to find better, innovative, and more enjoyable solutions. Not only through individual approaches and design methods but also by developing new economic and value systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, that&#8217;s how I ended up in this peculiar position with my Branchboarding project. It&#8217;s supposedly not fundable from the Art, Design, or Cultural sectors, nor from the business side. It doesn&#8217;t seem to fit anywhere. It&#8217;s somewhat out of its time or in a unique constellation. I&#8217;ve also often heard the opinion that the location (the city\/country) isn&#8217;t right for this type of project. Hmm&#8230; you name it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At many points during the development of the project, not only random people but also my colleagues, friends, and family began to express varying opinions about it and my involvement. For some, my work was considered done or finished because the idea was already circulating in the world, so they saw no need for further development. &#8220;Leave it as a good art project and do something else!&#8221; Others asked me why I didn&#8217;t want to seize the opportunity and make a business and money from it. &#8220;Go into mass production\u201c, &#8220;Why are you investing so much time, energy, and money in this when there&#8217;s no clear prospect of getting a return?&#8221; &#8220;Isn&#8217;t this a waste of precious resources and time that you could invest elsewhere?&#8221; &#8220;Will it ever benefit you in some way?&#8221; And so on and so forth,\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sure, it took a lot of time and energy, but on the other hand, it also gave me experience and a confrontation with another type of systems and ways of thinking. I was \u201eforced\u201c to contemplate things I ordinarily wouldn&#8217;t have. I also found myself interpreting my project and position from many different perspectives, understanding more clearly what I really want and, perhaps even more importantly, what I didn&#8217;t want. Maybe it even helped me in ways I don&#8217;t yet recognize or understand. I try to extract as much positive experience from it as possible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reflecting on it now, the entire confrontation was inevitable anyway. I&#8217;m glad to have gone through this whole thing. Although it was quite an intense, complex, and energy-consuming task or challenge, it helped me grow and led me to my current position, where I still find it incredibly fascinating. I view the entire journey as a grand adventure and am thrilled to be a part of this creative process and something so special. Watching what comes next, embracing every challenge, obstacle, and limitation. It&#8217;s a constantly evolving (growing and transforming) story for me. And it all originated from this crazy idea to make and see my art videos flying. I love it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I still haven&#8217;t stopped thinking about or working on it. Maybe the right moment and conditions will arise. Especially given the direction in which the world is evolving. Things I visualized a few years ago, which might have seemed unrealistic, too grand or too futuristic then, seem to be almost standard nowadays. So, let&#8217;s see what will happen with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And of course, regardless of the hurdles, my passion for riding my Branchboard remains untouched. Organizing aspects of the project doesn&#8217;t interfere with the physical and most crucial part of it: Branchboarding itself. I continue to improve and I am still getting better and better,\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details\"><summary><span class=\"s1 is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><b>8. My actual Standpoint (December 2023<\/b><\/span>)<\/summary>\n<p><span class=\"s1\">It has been a long and complex journey for me. I&#8217;ve explored many different things and options, but at the same time, I didn&#8217;t want to compromise too much. I&#8217;ve been waiting for the perfect form and moment to make another move (publication or a public action).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">Now, I&#8217;ve come to a point where not only is my vision (how the project should look and be executed) pretty clear and exact, but also the world is changing in a very interesting way, enabling some great opportunities. So, if not now, then when? Moreover, feels like something liberating has happened. Maybe it&#8217;s just a naive and childish projection, but i hope that my approach will remain that way, taking it lightly and with curiosity, feeling that everything is possible. Just playing with it. But still going for something qualitative and really making sense, laying solid ground for what branchboarding will be in the future<\/span>. <span class=\"s1\">I will try to do it as well as I can at the moment. I am also open to your support, opinion, tips\/ideas, and interesting collaborations.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">For now, I can share my idea and future vision for it, my experience (information and practical skills), and my existing Branchboards with you. I hope that soon, I will be able to expand enough in different directions, grow, and deliver more.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A big part of why I write so extensively about my project and also my personal experiences with it is, first of all, my aim to put all that information together and review it to get clearer for myself. The second part, the publication itself, has a purpose of providing fast access to it, not only for myself or anyone who is really interested but also for potential algorithms, searches, and so on. On the one hand, it&#8217;s a form of protection, and on the other hand, I think it can be a good way to make the further development of the project easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Good! This is the right moment to describe what my actual plans, goals (but also needs or wishes for the next year) are. I will do it in a simple way, in the form of a list, to make it easier to read, understand, and get a good overview. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Coming Soon<\/strong> \/ now working on: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.treeofmotion.com\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"www.treeofmotion.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.treeofmotion.com<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.branchboarding.com\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"www.branchboarding.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.branchboarding.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><strong>9. Continuation (April 2026)<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p>   <br>So, yes\u2026 the \u201ccoming soon\u201d part took a bit longer than expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The last period was not very spectacular from the outside, but it was important on the inside. I continued working on the concept, infrastructure, direction of the project, studio design and optimisation, and on preparing the next applications, publications, and public steps. In parallel, I also started preparing a new series of Branchboard models \u2014 or perhaps even a broader system for generating models in relation to different bodies, goals, and landscapes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The websites are also in a much better state now. Still not perfect, of course, but that is something which can always be improved. What matters more to me is that there is now a stronger, more coherent, and more functional basis for the next phase than before. The websites themselves are not really the main issue. What matters more is the rest of the functional infrastructure behind the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I know very well that this is not how such things are usually done today. Visibility, speed, regular posting, constant self-presentation, social media presence, and project promotion in the usual sense are more or less standard expectations now. But for me, the question was always what exactly should become more visible, in what form, and on which basis. I did not want to build a louder presence first and only later try to figure out what kind of project stands behind it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So yes, I also continued avoiding social media presence and project promotion in the usual sense. Perhaps not the best move by conventional standards, but not entirely without purpose and, so far, still part of the process. I would simply prefer to make a stronger publication and promotion at a moment when the functional infrastructure is ready enough that I can really cover the full spectrum of the project \u2014 and also what people, or future Branchboarders, might actually need and want from it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the same time, part of this period was also about trying to find and connect with the right people, which turned out to be easier in theory than in reality. I will not go too much into detail here, but it is definitely connected to some of the points I mentioned earlier and remains an important part of the whole process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another thing that became even more important to me during the last years is the way nature, climate, and sustainability are being used almost everywhere as images, themes, and selling arguments. On the one hand, of course, it is good that these topics are much more present than before. On the other hand, it often feels as if nature has become a kind of mainstream resource for media, institutions, organisations, exhibitions, festivals, brands, science, art, commerce, and all kinds of self-presentation \u2014 while in reality not much really changes underneath and old systems continue operating more or less as before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is also something that can influence the public perception of a project like Branchboarding. It can easily be pulled into narratives that sound right on the surface \u2014 \u201cnatural,\u201d \u201csustainable,\u201d \u201corganic,\u201d \u201calternative\u201d \u2014 while missing the actual point or reducing it to an image, an aesthetic, or a commercial story. I am very careful with that. I do not want the project to become just another decorative example of nature-related branding, while in fact being absorbed by the same old logic. So if I sometimes move slowly, part of the reason is that I want to stay as close as possible to the real nature side of the idea and not get pulled too quickly into ready-made narratives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the same time, I also continued questioning whether Austria \u2014 or my position within it \u2014 is really the right place for a project like this. I heard many times that I should not even try it here and should rather leave immediately and do it somewhere else. Maybe there is some truth in that, maybe not. In any case, it stayed with me as part of the process and influenced the way I think about the future context of the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And of course, the disruptive development of AI also had its impact on me and on the project. On one side, it makes certain digital processes easier, faster, and more accessible. On the other, it also shifted part of my focus toward other ideas and projects. I do not see that only negatively. It is simply part of the reality of this moment and it also changes the conditions under which one thinks, works, publishes, and plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The main thing is not that I only now understood what the project is \u2014 that was actually clear to me a long time ago. What became clearer and more concrete is the structure behind the next phase, the conditions around it, and the possibilities for its execution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So the current phase is not only about refinement, but also about transition. About finally moving from a long internal process toward a more open, functional, and public state again. Not because everything is finished, but because enough is now prepared, clarified, and ready to move further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In general, I do not feel much stress to move in the tempo that is usually expected today. I would rather keep working on it constantly, step by step, without losing the depth of the project and its actual true nature. We will see what this brings, how far it goes, and in which form it will finally develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For now, I can still share my idea and vision, my personal experience, my information and practical skills, and my existing Branchboards with you. But I also hope that the next phase will make it possible to share more in a more direct, developed, and accessible way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As always, I remain open to your support, thoughts, ideas, and interesting collaborations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Coming Soon \/ now working on:<\/strong><br><br>\u2013 Further development of&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.treeofmotion.com\/\">www.treeofmotion.com<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.branchboarding.com\/\">www.branchboarding.com<\/a><br>\u2013 Preparation of the next publication, applications, and public presentation of the project<br>\u2013 Preparation of a new series of Branchboard models and a system for generating models in relation to different bodies, goals, and landscapes<br>\u2013 Further optimisation of the studio \/ working environment and project infrastructure<br>\u2013 Full readiness, functionality, and a proper official re-start of the project<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dear All, Dear Friends! I am happy to welcome you here, and also thrilled to see how many different people have interests in my work! I&#8217;ll provide you with some basic and detailed information about me, beginnings and the history, philosophy, future goals and ambitions of my project: My name is Nico Rayf. I am [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/182"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=182"}],"version-history":[{"count":280,"href":"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/182\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1397,"href":"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/182\/revisions\/1397"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nicorayf.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=182"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}