At more than 20 feet tall, what was a dying tree has been given new life.
Owner, Mary Gross, in consultation with ‘The Cowboy Carver’ Colt Covington, decided that she wanted a sculpture that would have meaning to her and her family. On each side of the tree, there are reminders … a heart with her parents initials, the Canadian Maple leaf, a birdhouse, the old man in the tree and on top are two cardinals, favourites of her family.
Now on Upper Ave. in Port Elgin, the 23 foot art piece has been attracting considerable attention. “I just love it,” says Gross. “The carvings on it have a lot of meaning.”
Covington, who is from Lucknow, travels far and wide creating sculptures for individuals and communities. “I can’t say enough about the neighbours and the community here in Port Elgin. Everyone has been amazing and so supportive of Mary’s vision of what a dying tree could become.”
Upon completion, Covington was off to Point Clark to create four more tree sculptures. “I often try to help out by donating part of my sculpting fee to a charity of the owner’s choice,” says Covington. “There is simply no need to completely destroy a tree when it can become something of beauty. I know that in Wiarton, the town has created many tree sculptures, as have many of the residents there and that’s a good thing.”
For more information on ‘The Cowboy Carver’, email: coltschainsawartcarvings@gmail.com
