From Stumps to Sculptures

There are 200 tree stumps throughout Brampton that could potentially become works of art as the city moves into high gear to establish a Tree Sculpture Program.

The program was first suggested to the Flower City Strategy Committee by resident Bob Posliff last October after 48 city-owned trees were removed because they were identified as being hazardous. Of those, 20 were in the downtown core. Once removed, each remaining stump was between four and six metres high.
Now, city officials are working toward a June launch of the new program, which would start with trees in the downtown, but, if successful, would be expanded to other parts of the city.
“We would like to get this program off the ground immediately,” Regional Councillor Gael Miles told Committee of Council recently. “There are a number of tree stumps just waiting to become a beautiful form.”
Miles said the program has been explored by the city’s Flower City Strategy Committee, which she chairs, and the plan is to bring people together on an ad hoc committee, tentatively dubbed the Tree Sculpture Art Advisory Committee.
The committee would look at how to select an artist and a theme for the carvings, how to go about public consultation, how to get the support of adjacent homeowners, cost and maintenance issues.
The plan is to launch the program in June at the opening day of the Farmers’ Market.
There is already one tree sculpture in Brampton’s downtown core. Sculptor Jim Menken used a chainsaw to carve one of the dying trees in Gage Park into the image of a war veteran. It was the first, and only, tree carving of its kind in Brampton. In Orangeville, there are more than 40 tree carvings all around the community, done by Menken.
Jamie Lowery, Brampton’s commissioner of community services, told councillors there are plenty of candidates.
“We have 200 potential trees that can be utilized in this program,” he said.
The Tree Sculpture Advisory Committee would also look at a preliminary budget estimate and the possibility of planting a replacement tree within the immediate vicinity of each tree removed or used for a sculpture. The stumps could be carved on site, or they could be removed and put in a different location..
Mississauga also has a community tre sculpture program with wildlife and natural heritage themes related to the community in which the 15 carvings are located.

By: PAM DOUGLAS
Publication: Brampton Guardian
Click here to see the article

Artistically Connected
www.artisticallyconnected.com