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"Everyone absolutely loves the tree! The first day the kids came back to school it was raining. The tree looked so beautiful with the rain falling on it. Many children were standing around it, even in the rain, trying to find their leaves.
Every time I go by the tree there are children, parents or teachers standing around it. It is wonderful to see the kids bring their parents into the school to see the tree and their leaf. Some classes have wanted their picture taken in front of it for the yearbook.
[Principal] Sterr loves it also. We couldn't be more pleased. Thank you so much for all of the hard work."
-- Lisa Pavlet, project coordinator,
Litchfield Elementary School PTSA
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MIGHTY OWL OAK
Litchfield Park Elementary School
Litchfield Park, Arizona
Steel and copper
109" x 94" x 169"
628 pounds
2007
Following the creation of the Bronco Brand Birch for Rancho Santa Fe Elementary school in Avondale, Arizona, Kevin was contacted by an industrious mother from Litchfield Park Elementary School.
They, too, wanted a tree to make use of a planter on school grounds, but this tree was to accommodate leaves made by each of the school's 950 students.
The project began in September, with the creation of the 2-1/2" x 6" copper leaves, each cut to shape and hole-punched for eventual hanging. While the students, teachers and project leaders worked on each child using the repousse technique to decorate the leaves, Kevin began creating the tree itself.
To enable easy transport the 40 miles to the school from Kevin's studio, he built and installed the trunk and branches separately, using the forge to shape the tree-bark patterned solid steel rods, giving the tree an organic feel.
The tree was installed during the 2007 Winter break, so that the students, staff and parents returned in January 2008 to see the tree in full "bloom."
To learn more about the creation of the Mighty Owl Oak, click here.
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