GALVESTON — Pieces of Galveston’s history have been turned into pieces of art — literally. Now, that art will help restore a part of Galveston’s history lost to Hurricane Ike.
Members of the Gulf Coast Wood Turners Club are donating pieces they’ve made from trees killed by Ike to raise money for the Galveston Island Tree Conservancy to replace trees lost to the storm. The display at The Grand 1894 Opera House is a part of this weekend’s Artwalk.
“Hopefully it is a forum where we can raise a lot of money to buy trees for Galveston,” Mike Stall, a club member from Sugar Land who organized the event, said.
He got the idea after reading an article that 40,000 trees could be lost on the island, where his family has roots.
“This was heartbreaking, as I have been visiting my mother-in-law, Mary Van Dewalli, for over 30 years and I feel like I know some of those trees pretty well,” Stall said.
His wife, Donna, a Galveston native, suggested he make some pieces for charity.
He has made three trips to the island to gather wood after the city began piling up the dead trees for residents, artists and companies to take.
“Since then, several other people have contacted me about making customized vases for them from their individual trees that were killed by Ike,” Stall said.
He will do it — for one reason.
“I will make individuals vases or bowls for a significant donation to the cause of planting trees or other landscaping on Galveston Island,” he said. “The starting price will be based on the time and complexity of the pieces, just like any art piece.”
Those pieces could cost from just a few dollars into the thousands, he said. Several other members of his club have volunteered to help the cause, and he expects more to join soon.
With helping the island’s recovery, Stall said putting a piece of wood on the lathe has its own reward.
“As I finish and look at a piece I see the colors, hues and reflections as stored sunlight that was gathered during the tree’s life, and that is amazing and rewarding to reveal it.”
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At A Glance
WHAT: Gulf Coast Wood Turners display during Artwalk
WHEN: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday through Monday; silent auction to benefit Galveston Island Tree Conservancy is Saturday WHERE: The Grand 1894 Opera House
2020 Postoffice St., Galveston
ALSO: Rachael Stegall will donate 50 percent of the sales of her “The Soul of a Tree” collage poster to the conservancy. Other featured artists are Arthur Turner, Odette Rubin, Antje Rietsch, Lee Cohen, Tangerine Williams, Keith Hollingsworth and Janet Hassinger.
