The YuMe Tree

Above: The barren wall of the CVS/pharmacy at 12th & E Street in Southeast Washington, DC. Below: The same wall adorned by the YuMe Tree.

The YuMe Tree is a 28' long by 14' high mosaic tree designed for the north wall of the 12th and E street CVS/pharmacy in Southeast Washington DC. More than one thousand neighborhood children have sculpted and signed the three-inch "names tiles", now ready to form the roots, trunk, and branches of the tree. The leaves of the tree will be broken glass and mirror, cut and assembled at the Corner Store. The higher leaf groupings will reflect the movement of the sky, the lower will mirror the garden, street, and people walking by. Six-inch "Dreams" tiles will create the background surrounding the tree, reflecting aspirations and memories of the community.

The tile making sessions in three area elementary schools (Watkins, John Tyler, and St. Peters) involved hands on work with clay, and touched on the concept of a mosaic and the idea of public art. The word mosaic is simply defined as small parts set together to create something big, and applies here to both the art project and the level of community involvement.

The YuMe tree began years ago as an idea sparked in Kris Swanson by a long bare wall in one location, and reflected sunlight from a broken windshield in another. Together they planted a seed. By the time this idea has fully grown into the YuMe Tree on that long bare wall, thousands of people will have played a part in it's journey. Broken windshield glass will have evolved to cut mirror, and the idea of bronze tree bark into the thousand ceramic names tiles. That's the unwieldy wonder of neighborhood art. It's improvisation, and a lot like life.

 The three-inch "names tiles" form
the roots, trunk, and branches of the tree

The following steps are required to complete the YuMe Tree: