Local trees inspire creativity

If you're a tree, Bloomington is a great place to be. \nIt has been named a "Tree City USA" for the past 21 years. In honor of this, Mayor Mark Kruzan is sponsoring an art competition where all the entries must be artistic interpretations of trees.\n"So many people love trees, and their feelings toward them are unique and personal, and this competition gives people a way to express that vision," said Maria Heslin, the communications director for the city of Bloomington.\nEvery year The National Arbor Day Foundation awards the "Tree City USA" designation to cities all across the country that meet certain standards. These standards are having a tree department, a tree ordinance, spending $2 per capita on trees, and celebrating Arbor Day, according to the National Arbor Day Foundation Web site.\nBloomington was the first city in Indiana to be named a "Tree City USA" in 1984 and has been one every year since then.\n"The benefits of being a Tree City USA are the same as the benefits of a healthy urban forest," said Mick Renneisen, the director of Parks and Recreation for Bloomington. In addition to the pretty scenery, trees provide shade during hot summer days as well as privacy and a noise buffer along the city's streets, he said.\nEntries into the competition must be delivered to City Hall by August 12 at 5 p.m. The work will be displayed there for two weeks and the public will vote to decide the winner.\nThe mayor expects the many talented artists of Bloomington to be inspired by its beautiful trees "to produce some wonderful, creative and spirited art that will celebrate our community," Heslin said.\nThe winner of the competition will be announced by the mayor at the Farmers' Market on Sep. 3. The first, second and third place winners will all receive a memorial tree that will be planted in one of the city's public parks. The first place winner's tree will be designated with a limestone plaque. \nThe type of media accepted for the competition are painting, drawing, photography, computer generated art, mixed media, prints, and sculptures. They can be no larger than 48 inches by 48 inches. \nLee Chapman entered the competition because "the world needs to know about the world's greatest living artist," he said.\nHis entry will be a computer generated top down view of a tree. "I'm trying to merge the abstract computer science concept of tree with the real world biology concept of tree," he said.\nHe can't make a living with art, but he still does it because "it's what gives life meaning"