Boxman Studios Welder Spends Her Free Time Creating Community Art

Update via WCNC.com:

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Newtown Memorial Playground at Park Road Park has a little more sparkle to it.

Saturday morning, an art sculpture was unveiled dedicated to the 20 children and six adults who lost their lives at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut almost three years ago.

The metal sculpture is a tree with almost three miles of welds that took eight months for artist Katherine Apple Gaskey to finish. It includes 26 dangling mirrors to “reflect” the lives lost.

There are plans to play 26 trees around the park’s lake in recognition of the lives lost.

View the full article and video here.
Katherine Apple, local artist and welder for Boxman Studios in Charlotte, will be dedicating her piece, “Newtown Sandy Hook Memorial Tree” this weekend.
Apple spent over a year fabricating the sculpture from hundreds of steel rods welded together to form the trunk and branches. “I knew I wanted to use rod to form the shape and texture,” said Apple. “I love how abstract it became. It’s definitely the most abstract work I’ve ever done.”
An extension of the living memorial, Sandy Hook Memorial Forest, the sculpture will be a place to reflect and remind us all of the precious and delicate nature of life.
The plaque reads:

“Beacon for all, Children of Sandy Hook
Fearless Protection of purity,
Teachers of Sandy Hook
Interminable spirits return your peace
and love of our world.
As your Reflections dance ever more. NCTJ/WJ

Thank you to the Troutman / Jamison Family
for the vision of the
Newtown Sandy Hook Memorial Tree in
the celebration of all children.
Thank you to local business donations of:
Mecklenburg Count Park and Recreation
Fabrication Associates
K-Tek Carolina
Metal Artist: Kathrine Apple”

The Dedication and beautification ceremony for the Newtown Sandy Hook Memorial tree will be start at 8:45am this Saturday, November 7th at Park Road Park (6220 Park Rd). All are welcome.