"Treman Willow" sculptures at the Nevin Welcome Center

"Five Uneasy Pieces: Reworking the Treman Willow"

These five pieces were once part of a living heritage tree located in the F. R. Newman Arboretum. It was known as the Treman Weeping Willow and was planted 80 years ago around the time of the garden’s founding. In 2011, the tree had to be cut back to its base, as it could no longer support itself, succumbing to age and carpenter ants. Rather than being chipped for mulch, the sculptor, Jack Elliott, asked that the tree segments be delivered to his studio at Cornell University. He did not have a preconception of the results but was intrigued by the burled surfaces and irregular forms. The objective was to rework the pieces to let them reveal their own significances. As the bark and rotted material were removed, judicious cuts were made, allowing various forms and narratives to emerge. Five separate but related pieces were produced, all expressing a sense of uneasiness or tension, characterized by an interplay of organic and planar forms and a contrast of blackened and natural surfaces.

Meet Jack Elliott at a reception on Thursday, March 19 from 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. in the Nevin Welcome Center lobby. Light refreshments will be provided.