A glowing tree grows in Cary, almost overnight
A large metal bonsai tree sprang up almost overnight in downtown Cary as part of a temporary public art display.
The sculpture is made of steel sheets over rebar, and a small red bird made of spoons, forks and butter knives perches on one of the metal branches.
At night, lights bounce off the tree to create an “ethereal” effect.
Created by Erik Beerbower with the help of Kelsey Wyatt, the tree sits in front of the former library site on Academy Street in downtown Cary. It’s the third in a string of pop-up art installations all with the theme of GLOW.
The two previous exhibits include a virtual reality experience that featured projections on a wall and large, lit-up inflatable flowers. Two more exhibits are planned, but details aren’t being released ahead of time.
“I hope they are uplifting and joyful and surprising,” said Denise Dickens, Cary’s public art supervisor and curator. “They are not what you typically think when you think of public art.”
The pop-up, temporary nature of the exhibits creates small surprises for people traveling through Cary, she said.
The town also isn’t heavily promoting the artwork to discourage large groups from gathering during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We want to keep people safe but also have fun,” Dickens said. “It encourages people to keep their eyes open for whichever new piece is coming up next.”
The sculpture is meant to inspire mindfulness and encourage people to appreciate their surroundings, Beerbower said.
“I am passionate about public art,” he said. “Public art is really something that carves out an area, highlighting as it as a creative area. And Cary has done a fantastic job with that.”
This story was originally published March 1, 2021 at 2:56 PM.
