‘Tranquilatree’ blossoms in art park

Solid with a splash of pizzazz describes the latest art installation in the Walls of Wittenberg Art Park. It could also describe the woman it was built to honor, Lois Smith, who passed away last October.

The family of Steve Smith, Lois Smith’s oldest son, chose to commission the art piece for the Art Park she helped establish in Wittenberg.

“I really appreciate the opportunity to do this sculpture,” artist David Windey said.

Windey had spent about 14 years working with his father, Gene, at Ritchie Metalworks Corporation in De Pere. A medium sized company, it focused on small custom products that required quality over quantity. The bulk of the business consisted of custom-ordered ornate railings and stairways, using a variety of metal fabrications.

After Gene and his business partner, Dave Ritchie, decided to retire, David Windey rented the space to continue on with his art.

As a metal fabricator, Windey was always good at figuring out what to do and which metals to use to create the ornate railings his dad designed on the computer. Not having taken any art classes, he started creating sculptures during the lull periods, working on his craft for the past four years.

One day he placed a bonsai tree he had created on the sidewalk and it sold within a week. Trees are kind of his specialty - bonsai, palm trees and the kind in the Art Park. His trees can also be found in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Lake Placid, Florida.

Windey has been working on this piece — “Tranquilatree” — for several months, totaling about 200 hours. The base is made of aluminum, is powder coated and weighs about 150 pounds. The tree trunk is made out of small pieces of stainless steel over a strong frame. About 200 feet of rods were used to make the twigs. There are 7,500 leaves attached to 7,500 nails. The leaves are made of a metalicized plastic. With the UV coating the leaves should be good for three to five years and can be easily replaced.

“Getting the branches to make it look full and big and still be able to take it apart, there had to be some planning there,” Windey said.

He estimates the nine branches each weigh about 100 pounds.

While the tree was being installed two women wandered into the park and sat on the bench to visit and watch. One had come from Antigo and the other from Wausau to visit a resident in the nursing home. Taking advantage of the good weather they toured the murals and enjoyed the Art Park.

Steve Slama, owner of the Tenth Legion fitness center, said, “I sometimes bring my morning meditation group to the Art Park. Facing east as the sun rises and shines through the sun sculpture with our feet grounded in the cool grass, it’s a perfect place to feel encapsulated and not downtown Wittenberg.”

Lois Smith’s vision has been fulfilled.