Workers get to the root of the matter at downed tree in Tompkins Square Park

Workers this morning removed the remaining portion — stump and root structure — of the large, centuries-old tree that fell on May 7 at the Seventh Street and Avenue A entrance to Tompkins Square Park. (Earlier in the month, someone wrote a message on the stump about Jesus arriving. Probably not what they had in mind.) 

Derek Berg shared these first two photos of this excavation project...

And Felton Davis took these shots...

Noted

Someone left a message on this stump at the entrance to Tompkins Square Park at Seventh Street and Avenue A...

"Jesus is coming. Look busy." 

 OK! Doing laundry.

The tree came down on May 7.

A little off the top

Workers were back in Tompkins Square Park, where they removed more of the stump of the English Elm that came down at the entrance on Seventh Street and Avenue B on Aug. 3 during Tropical Storm Isaias ... (thanks to Steven for pointing this out!)

Not sure what the plans are for the rest of the stump...



... and if you want to try to figure out how old this majestic tree was...



EVG reader Bobby G. previously pointed out that this was an English Elm, not an American Elm as someone wrote, "and the only one in the park. Tons of Squirrels lived in it, and my guess is that it was one of the oldest trees in the park."

Stump town: More on the tree art of Ian Dave Knife

[Photo by Steven]

In recent weeks we've posted about local artist Ian Dave Knife making art from dead tree stumps around the neighborhood (here and here).


[Photo by Steven]

He is featured today in the Post in an piece titled "East Village man Ian Dave Knife turns NYC eyesores into street art."

An excerpt:

Knife’s mission is to brighten every locale where a once-magnificent tree has been reduced to a lonely stump due to fungus or decay.

“There’s a void when the tree is missing. You see the gap,” the Zimbabwe-born activist artist told The Post. “It’s human nature that we want to grieve or sympathize with the tree. You feel the loss. I want to replace that gap.”

His latest is work in progress in on Avenue A at Sixth Street...



Read more about his work and influences here.

Updated 12/23

EVG reader Kerri Savage shared this photo... as he continues work on Avenue A and Sixth Street...



...and the final product, via Kerri...

Wednesday's parting shots

EVG contributor Steven spotted local artist Ian Dave Knife giving an old tree stump new life on St. Mark's Place near First Avenue...





This past weekend, Knife, who lives on St. Mark's Place, similarly transformed a tree stump on 11th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue. Expect to see more of his handiwork on other dead tree stumps in the neighborhood.

Read more about his work and influences here.

The Anti-Monkey Christ

Christopher J. Ryan shared these photos from yesterday... showing local artist Ian Dave Knife transforming a tree stump into "a beautiful work of street art" here on 11th Street just east of First Avenue.

The stump is titled "The Anti-Monkey Christ" ...