Artwork Commissioned by Bartlett Tree Experts Wins International Award

See the Forest (For the Trees), an interactive art installation commissioned by the Bolingbrook office of Bartlett Tree Experts that was on view in the Naperville Park District’s scenic Knoch Knolls Park last summer, has won an international Hermes Creative Award, in the category of Interactive Brand Experience. The award is administered by the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals. It is the second international award for the project.

The artwork, created by environmental artist Jenny Kendler, was the result of a partnership between the Park District, the Bolingbrook office of Bartlett Tree Experts, and the Ex.Change Project of Terracom, a Chicago-based marketing communications firm. Terracom conceptualized and managed the project for Bartlett, Bartlett commissioned the artwork, the Park District provided the outdoor setting for it, and Ms. Kendler brought the general concept for it to life.

Nature Art Week

See the Forest was the centerpiece of the Knoch Knolls Nature Center’s Nature Art Week, which offered a variety of tree-related educational programs, some of which were presented by certified arborists from Bartlett Tree Experts. The artwork was envisioned to be a springboard for tree-care education and to cultivate an appreciation for trees.

“Education is one of our company’s core values,” said Tom Tyler, local manager of the Bolingbrook office of Bartlett Tree Experts. “We commissioned Ms. Kendler's artwork to carry out that core value in a new way. A team approach made it possible. We were happy to be able to have the piece showcased in the park district’s Knoch Knolls Park. And we appreciated having Terracom on the team, as the engine behind the project.”

The Artwork

See the Forest entailed seven native tree saplings planted in a line and framed on both ends by two upended tree root systems from trees that had naturally toppled. The upended roots, painted black, provided an up-close look at a typically out-of-sight part of trees that is important to both tree health and ecological health.

Ms. Kendler engaged visitors with the artwork by encoding a hidden word into it. Decoding the word involved identifying the species of each tree in the piece. An accompanying sign provided a key for solving the puzzle and offered information on the importance of trees and tree roots to people and the planet.

Visitor Reactions

Visitors were enthusiastic about the piece, responding with comments that included, "I love it," "... I find it to be very powerful," “It’s neat to see the undersides of trees, what’s underground … "As you learn about the trees here, you start to care more about other trees, like the ones in your own backyard."

A variety of print, broadcast and online publicity attracted visitors from as far as Chicago’s North Shore to see the artwork.