The historic Weaver Library Copper Beech tree has found new life as a public sculpture, preserving its deep roots in our community.

Estimated to be about 125 years old, the Copper Beech was officially recognized as a Rhode Island Champion Tree by the Rhode Island Tree Council in 2021. Unfortunately, that same year, the tree began to show signs of decline. Arborists evaluated its condition, and preservation efforts began in July 2021 to support the aging tree. Over the following years, ongoing care, including pruning, soil aeration, organic mulch, and protective fencing, helped extend its life. Despite these efforts, the tree ultimately succumbed to environmental damage and Beech Leaf Disease.

In spring 2023, to honor the tree's legacy, the Library invited local artists to submit designs for a painting celebrating the Copper Beech. Meg Ryanne Voyer, then an East Providence elementary school art teacher, was selected from nearly 50 entries. Her striking oil painting, now on display at Weaver Library, was unveiled during a reception on April 24, 2024.
Following the tree's final decline, Oregon-based sculptor Anthony Heinz May was selected through a competitive public art process funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) as part of the City's public art initiative. Anthony is known for transforming fallen and dying trees into site-specific works that explore the relationship between nature and community.
Over the course of two weeks, Anthony carefully removed the bark, treated and sealed the trunk, and fashioned cubes from the tree's limbs. Using rebar, he reassembled the cubes in the same order the branches originally grew, then bent and shaped the steel to create a sense of movement and flow. As the sculpture took shape, community members of all ages stopped to watch, ask questions, and share memories of the beloved tree. The project became more than an art installation. It sparked conversations about history, nature, creativity, and community.

While we wish our Copper Beech could have stood for another hundred years, we are grateful that Anthony has given it a new chapter. His thoughtful use of reclaimed wood transformed the familiar trunk and branches into a lasting work of public art that honors the tree while preserving its story for future generations.

We invite you to experience the library tree sculpture in person. Photographs simply cannot capture the beauty, scale, and presence of this remarkable work of art.