Call for Contributions
We're currently looking to make connections with professionals and non-professionals alike who would like to participate in the project, and who would like to have their work documented in this website. Possible contributions include, among others that you may think of:
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drawings, paintings, photographs of the tree before its removal
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poetry and writing about the tree
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memories that relate in any way to the tree
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community projects that bring people together to work on the tree's legacy, using its wood
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furniture made from appropriate sections of the wood
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sculptures made from small or large sections of the tree.
Both the process of production and the final outcome will be documented on this site and, funding allowing, included in an exhibition within a few years of the tree's removal.
Please send in any material you already have for consideration, and contact us (use the contact link, above) to make a proposal for a contribution using parts of the tree. We'll consider all proposals and select those that are most in keeping with the spirit of the project for inclusion.
The project really needs people from all diverse parts of the community - both local and national, individuals, groups, schools - to participate!
To professional or established makers, the commercially viable parts of the wood that are removed to esa yard and milled will normally be priced at a competitive, favourable rate for machined beech; this is to cover the cost of milling and storage as these are costs that will be incurred by ourselves.
Where possible and it’s apparent the wood is being used for a community project / use but being made by a professional, the wood will be given freely.
To non-professional makers and community/ schools projects, non-commercially viable wood will be available for free or a small donation to the project.
(Please note that all products made with the wood remain the property of the maker, not the project.)
8th February 2018 - update on proposals received since the project was launched, just 10 days ago!
A local furniture maker and a slate carver are proposing to combine their skills to create a piece of furniture.
A local upholstery firm plans to upholster a chair made using the beech with fabric traditional to Cowbridge (there used to be a local manufacturer in Llanblethian Old Mill).
The Vale Photographic Club are working to explore the tree through photography, and in relation to this we had a suggestion that photographs could be printed locally onto aluminium.
The suggestion has been made that the Vale Woodturners would create a series of pieces.
The primary schools have been contacted for participation and one has already been doing art work (based on the tree works of David Hockney).
A local brewery is exploring creating a beer from the Beech woodchips.
Some of the woodchip looks like it'll be going to the play area in Twt Park, and some logs will be reserved for the kids to play on in a local nursery.
A log is being kept back as a momento for one of the old headmasters' family.
A sculpture for the play area has been proposed, the creator is yet to be decided but to be allowed by the town council.
We're in the process of trying to trace the inscriptions on the trunk.
A local furniture maker/ artist has proposed to build a sculptural table with the wood.
We've written to Anthony Hopkins (who attended the grammar school where the tree is located) to see if there are any memories that he could share, good or bad.
We've had a proposal to use some beech from a group in Ponypridd, who offer 'hands on' workshop experience to people in the local community, initially the long-term unemployed and (in association with the Probation Service) ex-offenders.
A bowl turner has proposed using some of the wood for a few large-scale pieces.
A Men's Shed in Amman has proposed to use wood for a park bench local to them.
A local film graduate has accepted the commission of making a short documentary film about the project.
Students and a tutor from Cardiff School of Art and Design are planning a project using the wood.
We're in discussion with a project funded through the Rural Development Plan for Wales looking at improving the use and supply of timber with in the Caerphilly borough and surrounding area, to explore how our project could to link to that.
We had the suggestion that maybe work could be auctioned off with the proceeds going to a local charity, paying towards the cost of more tree planting.
We've met with Creative Rural Communities (the Vale of Glamorgan Council's rural regeneration initiative) and are currently working on a grant application for the project.
SO! Not bad for less than two weeks in, lots of exciting possibilities to explore in the weeks and months to come.