Guerrilla tree sculptor takes over U.K. town

The locals of Knaresborough, the site of the surprise sculptures, like the art and are eager for more.

By

Jerry James Stone

Tue, Feb 26 2013 at 5:58 PM

Related Topics:

Art & Architecture, Forests & Trees, TreeHugger

Photo: Tommy Craggs

The wooded area around the U.K. town of Knaresborough, North Yorkshire has fallen pray to some amazing guerrilla art as of late. For weeks, residents were stumped as to who carved these amazing pieces of work into nearby trees. Clearly they were the handy work of a professional sculptor.

The mystery artist responsible for these intricate tree carvings is local artist Tommy Graggs. Luckily for him, the locals rather liked the work and are hoping for more! Currently three sculptures have been completed — a dragon, a kingfisher and a ghostly figure — standing between 10 and 20 feet high.

Althea Farmer, chairwoman of the Knaresborough Civic Society, said the whole town had been talking about the strange appearance of the carvings.

I am still baffled how he managed to carve up three trees in visited areas without anyone seeing them. Well done, Tommy!

Kingfisher tree sculpture by Tommy Craggs

A tree sculpture bench in Allensford Nature Trail created by Tommy Craggs

Woman and elf tree sculpture by Tommy Craggs

All photos courtey of Tommy Craggs.

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Comments: 3

Guest Mar 01 2013 at 3:45 PM

most dead trees become habitat, these are great!

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Richard H Feb 28 2013 at 4:16 AM

It looks very good now, but whole log carvings always split. Its intrinsic to the wood and something that carvers accept. Most whole log carvings are totem poles and the split is part of their charm. Beautiful carving such as these are normally made in glued blocks of wood.