Shelby's Social Diary
Painting Houston's trees blue: Striking project to touch on last year'sdevastating drought
Look for something similar to Konstantine Dimopoulos' The Blue Trees (2006,Melbourne, Australia) to appear in Houston, compliments of Houston ArtsAlliance.Kondimopoulos.com
Blue skies, blue moon, the Blues Brothers — now think blue trees, as in Australian artist Konstantin Dimopoulos' social art installations that have attracted attention internationally and are soon to be in Houston.
As this project of the Houston Arts Alliance gains momentum, the artist, who will introduce Blue Trees locally, was celebrated in the art-filled home of Judy and Scott Nyquist.
The vibrant coloring is said to symbolize the spirituality of the trees and their role as lungs of the planet.
With community volunteer help, Dimopoulos paints a spectrum of trees (trunks and branches) in electric blue, a biologically-safe pigmented water that eventually fades over time with trees returning to their natural state. The vibrant coloring is said to symbolize the spirituality of the trees and their role as lungs of the planet.
Initial Houston plans are for the planting and painting of saplings in a nod to the devastating loss of trees due to last year's drought. The exhibition is expected to drive discussion on climate change and its environmental impact. The installation is still very much a work in progress with Dimopoulos in town to review possible sites.
Among those tuning in on the artist's concept was a heavy-hitter group of civic leaders, collectors and Hermann Park Conservancy leadership including Ann Kennedy, Divya and Chris Brown, Marc Melcher, Lea Weingarten, Brad Bucher, Doreen Stoller, Michael Cordua, Leigh Smith, Minnette Boesel, Karen and Byron Hood, Jereann Chaney, Sarah Whiting and Ron Witte and Houston Arts Alliance CEO Jonathon Glus and partner Alton LaDay.
