Photo by Lee Pellegrini
A centuries-old oak tree on the edge of Boston College’s Brighton Campus will be removed this month due to failing health but rather than disappear altogether, its trunk will undergo an unusual transformation.
Ken Packie, a Massachusetts artist who specializes in wood sculptures, has been commissioned by the University to carve the tree’s nearly six-foot-wide base into a three-dimensional portrayal of the Holy Family, celebrating Boston College’s Jesuit Catholic heritage and recognizing the historical significance of the Brighton Campus.
The new sculpture will be visible from Commonwealth Avenue as motorists and pedestrians approach the McMullen Museum of Art. Those who continue into Newton will be treated to another of Packie’s creations: a marathon runner carved from a dying maple tree.