Created: 2015
Media: Exterior latex house painted flames on bottom portion with a welded metal armature, that was spray painted and covered with used billboard material to make the feathers
Size: 16 feet tall
Location: The Fantasy Forest at Leila Arboretum, on Michigan Avenue in Battle Creek, MI
Artists: Painter and design concept, Kimber Thompson; Sculptor, Sabine LeDieu; and Welder, George Crandall

"Phoenix Rising from the Ashes"

When a grove of Ash trees in Battle Creek's Leila Arboretum were killed due to an infestation of the Emerald Ash Borer insect, a decision was made to NOT cut the trees down, but instead create beautiful works of art. 

During June 2015 eleven artists traveled to Battle Creek from across the United States to carve still standing tree trunks into a Fantasy Forest. Due to the fact that Kimber Thompson and Sam Dougherty were on the committee, they were ineligible to compete in the art competition, so they completed their artwork on a commission basis. Sam carved a BigFoot statue!

During an 8-day period, spectators watched as eleven more trees were transformed by artists of all kinds to create a FREE sculpture garden at the entrance to Leila Arboretum. Plans are under way to add to the artwork during the summer of 2016 with another Fantasy Forest art event.

Thanks to the ingenuity of welder George Crandall, this Phoenix not only rises from the ashes of dead Ash trees, it also rotates!