Strong community roots help artist rebuild piece

A huge bucket with $900 worth of coins was left in Michael Monroe’s driveway with a note that stated, “This is to rebuild Woody.”

This anonymous donation was part of a huge outpouring of community support that motivated the Brighton artist do the impossible: Monroe has rebuilt a 24-foot-tall tree sculpture — that originally took him four months to create — in three days.

The first sculpture, nicknamed “Woody,” burned last weekend while he was doing some final welding to it in Grand Rapids for the upcoming ArtPrize competition.

Monroe said he couldn’t have completed the task without the assistance of about 100 people who volunteered their time and donated supplies and money. The original sculpture cost about $7,000 to build. The piece is officially called “The Sharing Tree,” and it’s based on one of the characters in a recent book of his, “Mister Rabbit’s Wish.” The tree features a smiling face in the trunk, and its branches hold a kaleidoscope filled with leaves and feathers.

“It’s just unbelievable,” he said. “It gives new meaning to the ‘Sharing’ title.

“I didn’t fathom there would be this many (people) helping,” he added.

via Strong community roots help artist rebuild piece (with photo gallery & video) | livingstondaily.com | Livingston Daily.