It’s standard practice to cut down living trees and make them into painted fences or decorated trinket boxes, but rare to leave a dead tree standing and turn it into sculpture.
When it became clear that Bill Taylor’s old juniper tree had started to give up the ghost, the slowly emerging snag seemed destined for a stumpery – a quirky kind of log pile. Offers to ‘helpfully’ tidy it up came from around the neighbourhood, but Bill politely demurred. He had another notion.
The tree’s limbs naturally intertwined at ground level and lengthened into gracefully expressive forms. Bill painted each limb a bold colour, switching shades higher in the branches to create a blocky pattern.
The textures of the finished sculpture are subtle and interesting. The juniper snag provides gnarls, sinews and ripples. Sun and rain are already working their magic, so the colours are washed and underlying contrasts revealed.
When asked if he’d named it, Bill said it did originally have a name: Angst 2020, he thought, or something similar. Viewed upwards (as above) or sideways on (as in the second picture), I can sense some of that feeling. It’s one of many projects carried out worldwide when our social spheres had shrunk and we were left with our own imaginative resources.
My favourite shot of Bill’s sculpture is this moody one, taken in late afternoon when the light was languid, where the painted tree seems to be reaching out to the living trees around it.
Whether or not seeing this lifts your day, as it does mine, Bill is certainly doing his bit to Keep Fondren Funky, a local project designed to free the people who live in this artsy neighbourhood to do their own thing.
Shared for Marsha and Cee’s Public Art Challenge.
Susan Rushton 
Very artistic way to express your respect for dead tree rests.
I haven’t heard the term ‘rests’, so thanks for introducing me to that.
Interesting. I’m not sure how convinced I am by his use of colour. I’d need to see it for real, to judge I think.
It is better in real life, although I like the last picture. I had intended to go back and take some close-up textural shots, but it rained and then enthusiasm got the better of me so I went ahead and posted.
Well, why not? Can’t let the moment pass.
Susan, I love it. It is quirky for sure. Vince and I are into quirky. We had a 1966 Ford dump truck as yard art in CA. So a painted tree is rustic and right up our alley. Thanks for sharing it! Tell Bill thanks, too! 🙂
I can see you are and I will! My sweetheart has a travelling garden in the back of a 1988 F-150 truck. We recently found a travelling anole in it too!
How cute, a little green lizard. Where do you travel with your garden?
The colours are great, aren’t they? What a lovely thing. I’m ending the day with a smile 🤣💟💟
I’m glad! That’s treasure enough for anyone.
You will not be surprised to learn that I LOVE this. Funky, yes. Also a little spooky as the tree seems as though it could twist away some night and go careening down the road.
Did you notice it has been tied up? Perhaps you’ve hit on why!
I’m not sure I’m a fan, but it does remind me of some of the yarn art that was so popular for a while. We had several trees and other such things adorned with yarn for a while, although usually for a limited time.
The name Fondren certainly rang a bell. Where is this? In Houston, there’s a Fondren Building at the Texas Medical Center, Fondren Library at Rice University, and so on: all compliments of a wealthy family here.
The great thing about art & self-expression is that it truly is each to his or her own. This Fondren is on the edge of Jackson, MS.
It just came to me: Jackson’s the home of Jill Conner Browne, the Sweet Potato Queen. Have you met her, or heard of her? Her books are wonderful, and a friend from Jackson’s been to several of the parades. Talk about self-expression!
I have seen the Sweet Potato Queens in the Hal’s Paddy’s Day Parade.
I absolutely love this, it’s a brilliant way of using a dead tree. I wonder what sort of paint Bill used. I assume this is in America? If there’s nothing like that over here then there should be 🙂
I’d guess some kind of spray paint, but I’ll let you know if I find out it’s something different.
Perhaps I’m as twisted as the tree, but I had to laugh at “Angst 2020.” I so admire the whole thing: being able to see possibilities like this will be our salvation ultimately, I think. I love your descriptions, too. Imagining is an art to itself.
I was not expecting that name, but I could certainly relate to it.
Angst is a suitable title. Nicely photographed, Susan
Thanks, Derrick.
I agree with some of the mixed revies, but kudos for his great attitude and imagination! It will be interesting to see how an old dead tree will weather, and how the paint will fade.
I often like the faded versions of paint as much as the bright, original ones. Neighbourhood art can be contentious. The more I see, the more open I am to it, but I find I prefer the cheery stuff. This looks cheery to me, despite the title / impetus.
I love this fun, funky art!
Me too! My eyes are primed to appreciate colour after a northern winter.