Red Oak Sculpture (Trees of the Carolinian Forest)

Red Oak is part of a series of fifty trees entitled Trees of the Carolinian Forest. The collection of brightly colored trees represents approximately 20 native species to the region, recalling London’s Carolinian Forest heritage. Originally, the Carolinian ecosystem covered southwestern Ontario, with the richest diversity of tree species in all of Canada.

This project was launched by the London Downtown Business Association in 2007 with the goal of bringing more public art into the downtown core, creating a sense of community, while recognizing the city’s heritage and future plans to define itself as a “Forest City.”

Each tree is inscribed with the artist’s last name, year of installation and type of tree at the base of the trunk. On the circular base of Red Oak, two arrows and the letter ‘W’ indicate the cardinal direction West.

The trees are depicted in the round with two-dimensional foliage. The 15-foot-high trees appear as they would in fall or winter, sparsely decorated with oversized leaves. Red Oak is adorned by several oversized acorns, as well as oak leaves.