The sketches shown are by the wood carver Lukasz Beben and Jean Knight. Also shown is a photograph of another piece of work by Mr Beben.
These are published for your comments on what is being considered for the carving.
This is not a choice between one or the other but about the concept. We would be grateful for your comments by Saturday 7th December with a view to discussing your comments in the Reading Room on Thursday 12th December. Your views are important.
Sketch by Lukasz Beben
Sketch by Jean Knight
Carving by Lukasz Beben
Car Parking:
Any further car park signs directing people to use the car park, would, in my legal experience, increase the risk for the Committee being held liable for any damage caused to vehicles hitting the steep ramp upon entering the car park.
Again the carved tree at Richmond looks grotesque and I would urge any Committee members who have not seen it to make a visit before any conclusion is made.
It is important that the tree carving represents a vision of:
life, imagination, joy, beauty and pride.
I feel the individual images on the picture portrayed by the artist Mr Beban for our village, are not the vision many people had in mind.
The photos taken of his carvings of the tree in Richmond are lifelike, beautiful, imaginative and a joy to see. Our village deserves this too. The carving of this tree will be a legacy for years to come. Therefore, it needs to be the best that we can achieve.
I imagined the Heron in partial flight.
The owl wise, bold and bright.
The poppies tall and visible for remembrance.
The Acorn was chosen to represent life and growth.
Small fauna we know and love within our village, need a place on the tree.
Before the next meeting I would like the artist to provide other photos of his work relating to the images we have chosen. Then we can all make a more informed decision and choice on the exact carvings on our tree in our village.
Thanks to Jean for her time and effort providing alternative sketches, Also, thank you to George for providing additional pictures of the artist’s work, it helps to give a more informed choice.
Moira Edington
I would like to see a new drawing showing the front elevation and two side elevation sketches, that cover three quarters if not the full circumference of the tree with the items that were agreed at a previous meeting. These did not include the Pheasant or the Hare.
I feel this would allow everyone to see the beauty, space, depth and a sense of life in each of the carvings. The carving would I hope, then reflect the true history of the village, being kind, caring and compassionate.
I would love to look out from my front window as I have done for over 30 years and see this magnificent beech tree, not as a stump or carved into a flat lifeless and lethargic figure, but as a beautiful carving that had meaning, purpose and above all else dedicated to the people of the parish, past and present, while inspiring the future generation to be part of the village community.
In the words of Helen Keller “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
John Edington
With regard to the sketch by Mr Beben. I was not aware that this was now the template for the carving of our tree. I wish to state the following:
I do not object to having the owl, but it would have to look like the one in the photo of the actual tree carving (shown above).
I do not want the moon to be on the tree, not relevant and gloomy. Perhaps the Woman’s Institute logo could go here?
Agree to having a heron but to remove the “reeds?” To show the one long leg standing.
Flowers at the bottom, I thought we were going to have poppies?
Agree to having the pheasant but not in this unnatural flattened position which I assume is supposed to look like it is flight, this is not how they are seen.
The “hare”. This looks awful and should be removed.
The overall look needs to be bright and have an uplifting feel, I do not get this from the sketch.
Is it possible for Mr Beben to attend a meeting so the residents can discuss what they want?
The carving of this tree has been on the Agenda of the Reading Room Committe and discussed regularly for some 18 months prior to it being cut down. It now appears out of the blue that the tree is to be a War Memorial, none of the committee members were consulted on this or residents of the village. It would be my wish that the memorial plaque be mounted on wood and placed in the ground at the bottom of the tree, definitely NOT on the tree. A number of residents (at the meeting) stated that they also do not want the plaque on the tree.
In response to the carvings of . the village green tree..
In our opinion the proposed sketch on the web-site was like something out of a horror comic, too dark and dismal . not appealing to children at all .
a few nice carvings round the tree is all that,s needed ..
The tree carvings in Richmond is a work of art, something similar would be lovely for the village..
brian and marilyn logan..
In the minutes passed on the 21st November it clearly states that 37 people voted for the tree to be carved with the top 7 figures mentioned in the minutes. We should honour the majority vote and not be going back over old ground. I find it very frustrating going to meetings, voting and then individuals don’t go with the majority.
There has been also one individual who rang the council to request that the grant application be withdrawn behind the back of the committee, again I say to that person, we live in a democratic country not a dictatorship.
I would like to see the carving covering three quarter of the circumference of the tree as discussed in the meeting of the 21st November. This I feel would allow the finished carving to look and feel spacious. As for the design the inclusion of the Sunflower seems to be causing a few issues, maybe we could replace it with Jeans Tea and cake that would represent the WI and the reading room. I also prefer Jeans Heron with its head raised.
We have a deadline linked to the grant to complete the carving, please let’s not get into another Brexit saga going back over old ground. The parking would be prevented if we had bigger, clearer signs directing people to the Reading Rooms car park.
The village have voted accept it and move on please. Let’s get the carving done!
John Edington
We still would still like to see the Beech Tree cut down to near ground level – even to create a base for a table top to be fixed to it. This would preserve the lovely natural look of the village green.
If the tree is to be carved then we would like to see just one animal carved on it, like the picture shown on the website of an just Owl, or just a Heron with nothing else such as Oak leaves, Yorkshire Roses, Poppies etc. etc.
We would not like to see lots of carvings making the tree look like a Totem Pole and cheapening the look of the Village Green.
The tree should be cut to height from the outset and the carving made to fit. Hopefully the height should not be much higher than the first cut branch shown.
Also car parking is an issue, especially along the Village Green area. Having visitors creating inconsiderate parking visiting the carved tree obstructs the through route of tractors, HGV’s, couriers and oil and gas vehicles etc. Hence the wish to cut the tree to ground level.