If a Tree Falls: Art of the Boundary Oak memorializes the City of Walnut Creek’s signature Valley Oak, which tragically fell during a massive windstorm in October 2019. As a tribute to the tree’s long life and rich history, which spanned 325 years, the artists in the exhibition created artworks from its wood, offering this monumental being a second life

About

In addition to honoring the tree’s grand legacy, this timely community show provides a much-needed celebration of local artists and highlights the unifying forces of nature. If a Tree Falls includes 64 emerging, mid-career, and established Bay Area artists who work across disciplines from painting and drawing to woodturning and carving. Each artwork—made exclusively for the show—incorporates pieces of Walnut Creek’s beloved Boundary Oak, providing visitors a rare opportunity to see how artists interpret the same base material in different ways.

If a Tree Falls: Art of the Boundary Oak underscores just how diverse an artistic approach to the same material can be, with widely unique techniques and conceptual frameworks. Yet, the works share a respect for a life force that existed for over three centuries. The beauty of this exhibition is that the Boundary Oak tree will continue to exist through the thoughtful reimagining of the Bay Area artistic community.

Artwork Credits

1. Sam Perry, Basket, 2021, wood, 29 x 38 x 23 inches.
2. Bushra Gill, Recalling the Golden Hour, 2021, mixed media on collagraph print and wood, 22 x 15 x 1 inches.
3. Adon Valenziano, Totem, 2021, oak wood, concrete, agates and bronze, 43 x 12 x 9 inches.