OneTree to host open house and fundraiser Sept. 30

"Dancing into the Dark," by Kesler Woodward

The OneTree Alaska program will host an open house and fundraiser Sept. 30 to support its work in Fairbanks area schools. 

Kes Woodward prepares to hang paintings
in the OneTree lab. Todd Paris photo

The event will run from 5 to 8 p.m. at the OneTree Alaska STEM to STEAM Studio in the Lola Tilly Commons Building. Fairbanks artist Kes Woodward, who is known for his colorful paintings of landscapes — especially birch trees — will sign prints of his limited edition “Dancing into the Dark” painting. In notes about the painting, he said he was inspired by seeing birch leaves in the UAF research plot on North Campus. He said, “It's not only a collection of observations about parts of that tree and its falling leaves, but as so often in my work, a personal rumination on life, growth, beauty, strength, vulnerability and change.”

The limited-edition print will sell for $150. Woodward is the OneTree artist in residence and has work space in the lab. Five of his paintings will also be available for viewing and sale during the open house.  Proceeds from all sales will benefit OneTree. Participants will also be able to see the birch sap processing equipment and a short video with the New York-based fabricator who specializes in equipment for small-scale syrup operations and is working with the OneTree program. Refreshments “from the forest” will be available, including moose chili, raspberry confections and gingerbread made with birch syrup.

OneTree provides outreach to K-12 students and teachers related to boreal forests. The students explore plant anatomy and physiology, the scientific process, and annual events in a birch tree’s life through experiments dealing with budburst, growth rate, and germination. On the art side, artists and K-12 students take the materials from the tree to create leaf rubbings, prints, sculptures, weavings, ledgers, books, containers, musical instruments and more.