G-20 Opportunity

Wow!!
GREAT NEWS!!

Urban Tree Forge to create
Tables for the G-20 Summit here in Pittsburgh

Thank you!!... to Phipps Conservatory for the great opportunity to participate in our city's hosting of the G-20 summit!
Phipps Conservatory, located here in the city of Pittsburgh, asked us to design twelve tables for a dinner and discussion session that will be held in their beautifully remodeled facility for the G-20 summit, and we just received the official approval to begin the project.

Uhhhh... just one thing...

we only have two weeks to turn 12 oak slabs into tables!

Fortunately, we just happen to have a number of trees that we recovered from Riverview Park, located here in the city, that were removed last year.


Joe and Ben Suto of Lumberjack Tree Service were kind enough to allow us the opportunity to utilize the trunks of some of these magnificent beauties that the city was forced to remove for local projects. We weren't sure how we would use them, but we knew they were just too amazing to walk away from... and now we know why, especially since they just came out of the kiln last week... Talk about synchronicity!! How wonderful to be afforded this great opportunity to make use of the tremendous natural resources available to us here right in our own great city Pittsburgh.

When we're finished with this project, we'll still have a few more of these beautiful specimens available for consideration for a future project or two... maybe there's an opportunity waiting for you... We'll just have to wait and see!

The courting Bench

I Got it Finished!!

My submission for the Pittsburgh Technology Council's 15 Minutes Gallery 2009 Annual Art& Technology exhibition was accepted as were fellow Urban Tree Forge Artisans Jennifer Bechak and Robert Bishop. Congratulations everyone!! I submitted 3 different pieces for consideration and they chose the one of the three I had least completed… requiring the most effort to present.

It has been a mad dash to complete this sculpture in time for the opening of the exhibition this Thursday June 18, 2009. With many late nights, and the aid of some awesome friends like Jason Boone and Nate Lucas we have

“The Courting Bench”

A beautiful piece of sycamore from the Smithfield East End Cemetery complimented with a few select pieces of Allegheny Cemetery elm… and an apple bottom to round out the bottom in the back… of course.

We finally delivered the bench this past Monday afternoon.

Please join us this Thursday evening for the opening at the 15 minutes Gallery. Visit the gallery website for more information on this event and directions for getting there.

If you are not able to check out the exhibit for the opening the show will be available for viewing through August I do believe. Please stop in and take a look at some tremendous Pittsburgh artists!

Reclaimed wood available!! Murtland oak and Beech street basswood

Hey folks,
Some new trees have become available to us... Let's give them a new life!!
I had the opportunity to meet with the wonderful homeowners Tom and Bea of Point Breeze who were sad to learn their 70- 80 year old oak in front of their home must be removed because of disease.
This majestic ol' tree would certainly make a beautiful conference table or...... ? At 32" in diameter and 20 feet to the bottom branch there are certainly a tremendous number of options for this beauty to find another life in a project or home in our wonderful city of Pittsburgh. Thank you to Joel Keelen of Keelen Brothers Tree Service for the heads up on this Opportunity.
Give us a call if you have a project you feel this wonderful tree would be suited for.


We were given 6 logs of "Beech street basswood" from the North side neighborhood "The Mexican War Streets" this past week by our good friend Matt Grebner of Magnificent Manufacturing. Thanks Matt!!
This poor Linden was gilded around the root crown and it cut off circulation between the roots and the top of the tree. The tree was uprooted during a recent storm and Matt had the great insight to call us before these became more waste in our landfills.
These sections would be great for carving some unique and interesting sculptural pieces. The section with the roots attached has a variety of rocks and bricks included... this will be just amazing with a little imagination!! Perhaps a carver or turner would have an interest for a project of their own.
We would certainly be honored for the opportunity to create a commission from these cool pieces of our urban forest.
Please let us know if you have a home or project for these wonderful pieces of our wonderful city, or a commission you would be like the Urban Tree Forge to create for you.
Thanks for checking in with us.
John

Happenings: Think Global Act Local!!

Some of the other happenings in the past month or so keeping us on our toes:
We were fortunate for the opportunity to volunteer with some local organizations like Friends Of the Pittsburgh urban forest planting and pruning trees ; with Tree Vitalize we got to volunteer for the initial planting of trees for the year in the Pittsburgh region. We also had the good fortune to volunteer with the American Institute of Architects on a home remodel with Rebuilding together Pittsburgh, and Tedco Construction . Thanks to all the other volunteers and the companies who so selflessly donated their time and funding for us to have these opportunities to help in our community. Pittsburgh ROCKS!
We also would like to welcome to "Studio" at the Urban Tree Forge; Olof Berner, an industrial designer and Jennifer Bechak a ceramics instructor and artist... Let's Create!!! We still have room for YOU!
Oh Yeah, I have a few sculptures showing around town this month: I have a piece in a Society of Sculptors show in the Elan Gallery in Sewickley and a few pieces in an opening this week @ 15 Minutes Gallery Oh, and I got accepted into the Craftsmens Guild of Pittsburgh... Whew...is that all...??
Next blog: new sculptures and new materials available!!