TRAVERSE CITY — A familiar sight along the Boardman River is getting a second life this month, thanks to the work of a local artist.
The cottonwood tree at the river’s mouth died earlier this year and was removed by the city, leaving behind a large stump. Rather than cutting it down completely, the city asked longtime wood carver Scott Chupp to transform it into something new.
Chupp, who has been carving since age 12, said he’s been working on the piece for nine days after being contacted by the city about a month ago. Together, he and city staff decided on a design featuring a trout and a sturgeon.
“The tree really dictates what it’s going to be,” Chupp said. “So, yes, I had some drawings, but, you know, as you go into the project, the grain in the wood and you find a soft spot, so you just had to kind of improve the whole thing as you go.”
Chupp said there’s no set timeline for how long the sculpture will last, though he expects it will take on more character as it ages. He noted that a protective coating may be added, but he also likes how the wood naturally grays over time.
“This tree was dead,” Chupp said. “And, you know, instead of just making it a stump, we thought we’d get some more life out of it and make something beautiful for the community. So, as you can see, it’s alive.”
Chupp plans to finish the carvings by Friday and encourages residents to stop by and see the revived cottonwood.