There is a PAINTING IN A TREE waiting to be found, paintings have recently been placed in the following locations:

Charleston, SC- South of Broad Nov. 27th- FOUND Nov 30!

Deer Isle., Stonington, ME Aug 30 2010 – FOUND Sep 8!

Charleston, SC – South of Broad- FOUND, YET NOT ACKNOWLEDGED

Bluffton, SC – Palmetto Bluff’s Wilson Village- FOUND- 3/4/10Cumberland Island, SC- BOTH FOUND

Cumberland Island, GA – BOTH FOUND

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE IDEA

PAINTING IN A TREE- CUMBERLAND ISLAND, DUNGENESS DOCK AREA

At the beginning of 2009 West Fraser placed his first two PAINTINGS IN A TREE on Cumberland Island in Georgia. Cumberland Island has become for the artist a place of great importance and inspiration, as evidenced by the body of landscape works that have resulted from his trips there. Where better to initiate his PAINTING IN A TREE project? In January he left two small oil on panel works on the island, affixed to trees and with messages to their future owners. The artworks in place, life went on and the fates of these two paintings blew in the wind.

Mr. Fraser’s has said of his PAINTING IN A TREE project:

“I give to a finder of a painting hanging in a tree, it though happens to have strings attached, literally. I ask you, the recipient, to make a donation to a favorite charity, perhaps your local High school art program, artist organization, local museum or a talented artist in need. I hope that with my gift found, the discoverer will give as well, and perhaps encourage others to make random acts of giving and kindness.  As a catalyst to perpetuate gift giving in the community I hope that my Painting in a Tree project can make a difference.”

PAINTINGS FOUND

Artist West Fraser (center) with Barb and Mike Turney and their PAINTING IN A TREE discovery

The first painting, a 6 x 8 inch oil on panel titled Dungeness Ruins, Cumberland Island, was recovered on Cumberland Island by Canadian sailors Mike and Barb Turney who were heading home to Nova Scotia from their summer sojourn in the Keys. The painting, now mounted on the bulkhead of their 42’ Ketch, Nelleke, prompted the couple to donate to the Cancer Society and the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in their home town Halifax. The couple also passed through Charleston after making contact with the artist and met to share their story.

Kenner Carmody with her father Michael left, and West Fraser right.

A PAINTING IN A TREE,  in Charleston’s French Quarter was found on December 26 by 12 year old Charleston native, Kenner Carmody.  Ms. Carmody was on a mission to find the painting after her father read about West Fraser’s PAINTING IN A TREE project in the Post and Courier. After scouring the French Quarter she made the discovery of the West Fraser oil painting, hanging in a tree on the corner of State and Chalmers Streets. Delighted with her find Ms. Carmody now has her first piece of fine art. Ms Kenner and her family have decided to make a charitable donation to the Gibbes Museum in Charleston. They hope that that their donation can be enjoyed as much as they will enjoy their newly found PAINTING IN A TREE.

Lisa finding her PAINTING IN A TREE on Cumberland Island

The second PAINTING IN A TREE was found on Cumberland Island. The finder wrote this letter to the artist:

West,
Lisa was determined to find this beautiful picture or perish trying.
I had more or less given up after 3 attempts to locate it believing
that someone had found the painting and disregarded the rules. As I
was walking along the marsh some 200 yards away looking for artifacts
I heard a squeal that could only mean one of two things: that she had
found the painting or had indeed perished.  Happily it wasn’t the
latter.

We have chosen as our way of “paying it forward” in the form of a
donation to the Wounded Warrior Project WWP.org.  WWP is an amazing
organization that successfully re-integrates into society war disabled
veterans through education, training, and continuing support and
treatment of the invisible wounds that linger long after the body
heals.

Lisa’s son Taylor was wounded in Iraq when the vehicle he was riding
in was destroyed by an IED.  Taylor spent over 18 months in the care
of Walter Reed Army Hospital.  It was at Walter Reed that Lisa learned
about WWP and their commitment to helping young men and women
returning home.

Great idea West.  Hope to see you on your next visit to Cumberland.

The seventh painting in a tree was found my Mary Stuart Hay.  With much excitement and determination, she asked a construction worker to help retrieve the hidden prize.  Mary Stuart willingly donated to LAMB  and wrote us in a an email a little about the program.   “We donated to the LAMB Institute in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. There are many here in Charleston that love this organization as much as I do.  There is a young boy who became an artist through a LAMB program. He is a former drug addict and gang member.  What a purpose!  Thanks for hunt; it is too easy for me not to donate.”