「向榮」作者葉基祥，是不是第一眼看到這件作品，心中就浮現大大的問號，竹子怎麼會長這樣?這真的是竹子嗎? 是的，這是貨真價實，以刺竹一體成型，所做成的作品。 作者葉基祥先生，以立雕的工法，應用集結成叢，短而肥實，節多而彎曲的刺竹地下莖及其主幹為材，將象徵蓬勃發展、繁榮興盛的佛手瓜，表現出三度空間的立體特點，雕刻時也巧妙的避開竹管中空部位，另為讓作品更加傳神，在佛手瓜上雕刻一隻小樹蛙，來表達自然界中生命的力量。樹蛙與俗稱龍鬚菜之嫩梢，以色粉加生漆上色，雙層底座是花梨木之樹瘤，經裁切砂磨化學漆噴塗而成。 精湛的工藝技藝、善用材料的特性、從大自然中細心觀察尋找靈感、結合深厚的美學素養，成就了此件佳作。葉基祥先生民國九十六年榮獲「台灣工藝之家」授證，實至名歸。  “Toward glory” by Yeh Ji-Xiang. Did a big question mark appear the first time you see this piece? How can bamboo look like this? Is this really bamboo? Yes, this piece is genuinely and integrally made of thorny bamboo.

The artist Mr. Yeh uses the vertical sculpting technique on the short and stout roots and trunks of thorny bamboo, which usually gather in shrubs and have many bending segments. It symbolizes the booming prosperity of the chayote, and the three-dimensional characteristic. The artist cleverly avoided the hollow center of the bamboo trunk while sculpting, making the chayote more realistic looking. A tree frog is sculpted onto the chayote to express the life force within nature. The tree frog and the tendrils of chayote are painted with colored powder and natural lacquer. The double-layered base is made of a rosewood tree nodule that is trimmed, sanded, polished, and spray-painted.
This masterpiece is the result of intricate artisan skills, full utilization of the characteristics of the materials; acute observations of and inspirations sought from the nature, along with a profound appreciation of beauty. Mr. Yeh received the “Taiwanese Artistry” certificate in 2007. He truly deserves this award.