ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Hurricane Helene felled countless trees in its destructive sweep through Western North Carolina. A local nonprofit is transforming as many as they can into works of art.
Echoes of the Forest is an art-centric 501(c)(3) nonprofit seeking to create memorials to the felled forests of WNC through the work of local woodworkers. Each “echo” commissioned by the group is crafted from the timber created by the storm and evocative of the region’s perseverance during the disaster.
“Really the only parameters that we have are that we like these pieces to speak to the storm in some regard,” said Liisa Andreassen, founder of Echoes of the Forest. “For instance, this first bench has very deep grooves in it, almost like waves, so when it rains, it’s designed for the water to funnel through these grooves in it.”
Andreassen and her team plan to unveil their first official “Echo,” an 800-pound piece of white oak fashioned into a bench by Appalachian Joinery artist Chester Shuey, at a 5 p.m. ceremony this Thursday, June 12, at Foundation Woodworks, 289 Lyman St.
“It’s designed to encourage people to come reflect, sit. It faces the French Broad,” Andreassen explained.
The piece was funded by a raffle for a different piece of artwork, “The Mountain Man,” by chainsaw artist Mike Ayers.
“He’s got leaves wrapped around his head and a tear coming down his cheek,” Andreassen described. “‘The Mountain Man’ represents a mountain man that’s gone through the storm and survived.”
The raffle for “The Mountain Man” is ongoing. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased here. The winner of the piece will be announced at 7 p.m., Thursday, June 12 at the The Radical hotel.
Andreassen has plans for future “Echo” pieces in collaboration with other community partners.
“North Carolina Arboretum has committed to doing three pieces, which are going to be installed late September,” Andreassen said. “Then we’re in talks with several other potential partners about doing some placements next year. So, that is definitely the ultimate goal, is to create a trail throughout the area.”
For more information about Echoes of the Forest, visit www.echoesoftheforest.org.