The Gathering Tree Sculpture, Ground Mural and Reflecting se
The Gathering Tree Sculpture
The Gathering Tree is a festive entryway that welcomes and invites people to come together at Glenmont Forest Park. Mythical archetypes about trees as gateways between worlds, inspired artist duo Sandra Perez-Ramos and Stuart Diekmeyer to conceptualize the Gathering Tree by drawing on their own cultural mythology. One such element is the
The Gathering Tree is a festive entryway that welcomes and invites people to come together at Glenmont Forest Park. Mythical archetypes about trees as gateways between worlds, inspired artist duo Sandra Perez-Ramos and Stuart Diekmeyer to conceptualize the Gathering Tree by drawing on their own cultural mythology. One such element is the Tree of Life, which is present in philosophical traditions all over the world and symbolizes the interconnection between all beings and things in the universe.
The Ground Mural with Artist
A ground mural of large, swirling tree roots radiating from the base of the sculpture was painted on the concrete pathway. The design continues around the seating area boulders, featuring the word “Welcome” in the over 20 different languages and dialects spoken in the local area, to reflect and commemorate the diversity of this community.
Seating Area and Landscaping
Seating Area and Landscaping
The original seating concept called for benches but upon the recommendation of Jim Epstein to use boulders as seating, it became clear that the boulders created another connection to Stuart Diekmeyer's heritage. The stones draw on the cultural significance of stone circles, standing stones and Menhirs.