I was selected by a local committee of community residents and local rangers and my proposal for the project was to carve the tree with a wildlife and fantasy theme.

My work usually has no set design it evolves on a daily basis taking inspiration from the local environment and ideas and suggestions that are offered from the locals that use the park.  Work started from the top carving the owls and I needed something to sit them on, a branch about 4 ft under the owls gave me the opportunity to carve a squirrel and to use the tail to sit the owls on, the flowing lines in the tail was the start of the general pattern that will link and make the whole tree flow. The next branch sticking out gave me the opportunity to carve the snail and break off from the wildlife theme and incorporate some fantasy figures with the wildlife.  The snail is undercut to give a definite edge

The fantasy images are Fairies and Tree Spirits, these were inspired by my granddaughter, she makes we watch shrek and many other video's when she comes to stay with us (she is almost 3 years old) also Heather Mathiesons the park rangers passion for wildlife and fairies was an inspiration.

The large fairy holding the birds had to be a big feature of the tree it was the largest branch sticking out of the tree and before I started carving I had in mind to carve this into a figure.  We also have a fairy riding a Dragonfly and a Butterfly  (associated with fantasy) a Tree Spirit protecting a Deer a Fire Wolf (I made that one up), Deer tracks and Seeds, Reeds and Grasses and Leaves and Fritillary make up some of the decoration along with the flowing lines. Behind the main fairy is another Tree Spirit and at the base is a door this was to add a touch of mystery. 

As most of the various images were semi nocturnal I decided to call the tree the twilight tree the coloured preservative was necessary due to the wood being quite porous and clearer preservatives do not waterproof as well.  The colour will make a nice contrast against the tree's when they are in foliage, the colour will fade a little over the years and the structure of the tree will be monitored because Elm tree's usually rot from the roots but it is hoped the tree will remain for quite sometime.
Dennis Heath