Page 14 - Florida Sentinel 4-14-17

Local
Lightning Strike Creates New Venture For Aspiring Artist
Dennis Addison is shown wearing an Ankh he created.
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Dennis Addison doesn’t consider himself an artist. However, the many people who have seen his handiwork tend to disagree.
Addison had twin oak trees in front of his home at the corner of Regnas and Barrett Place. But during a late storm in November 2015, lightning struck both trees. He had the large trees cut down, but was still left with two 10’ tree trunks in his yard. His first idea was to decorate them with flowers.
Then another idea came to mind. Armed only with the idea and no experience or knowledge, he set about creating what he refers to as “the Artfield.”
“I never took an art class. This was my first and maybe my only time doing this. I used a saw and a grinder to do everything,” he said.
He began carving a squirrel at the top of one of the trees in February 2016. As he continued, he decided to add an elephant, a bear, an eagle, a butterfly, a heart, and a sunflower.
At one point, he was standing in the bed of his trunk working on the art until his neighbor offered the use of a scaffold. During the process, he worked with swollen and sore hands, but he never abandoned the project. He finished the project in June 2016.
And his reward has been hundreds of compliments from passersby. “One lady drove to Bradenton to bring her husband to see it,” he said.
His most prized compliment was left in his mailbox and signed “A Grateful Stranger.”
On one side of the tree, Addison created the but- terfly, the heart, and the sunflower
The note said in part, “I just wanted to say thank you so much for creating and display- ing your amazing wooden sculptures! I love them! ...I’ve never seen anything like it and those birds really made me smile and feel I was going the right way, which I truly needed that day.”
Addison said, “I’m dedicating this art to the total strangers passing by while I worked on it. They gave me the best compliments that I had ever received any- where or at any time ever. I was overwhelmed to say the least.
“People call me an artist, but I don’t consider my- self an artist. It was just an idea that came to my spirit.”
Process Of Removing A Damaged Tree
Addison recalls the day lightning struck both trees in his front yard. That day in the fall of 2015 began as a problem. But, it later became a project.
Addison said after the trees began to die, he con- tacted the City of Tampa, who agreed the trees were a hazard. He said he was told if they fell on the city right of way, they would take care of it. But, if it fell on his property, it would be his responsibility.
He then decided to have the trees cut down. It was the beginning of a process that took more than a
This carving represents the eagle, the bear and the squirrel.
month. Addison said although the city had been out to his home, he had to supply them with photographs, and was required to obtain a permit to remove the trees. It costs about $120.
The next step was to hire a professional to remove the trees. Addison said $1,600 later the tree trimmer left the remainder of the trees 10 feet in the air. “He
wanted another $400 to cut them lower,” he said.
His first idea was to deco- rate the stumps.
Married to Mrs. Iola Ad- dison, they are the parents of two sons and 12 grandchil- dren.
A Tampa native, Addison worked for Tampa Electric for more than 20 years. He ac- cepted early retirement after being injured.
He then moved to Calvary, Georgia for 8 years. The family moved back to Tampa in 2008.
Although he still doesn’t consider himself an artist, he also creates Ankhs and has a large collection. He makes them from scrap wood using a small saw and a sander.
An Ankh is also called the Egyptian cross, was a symbol of life itself. The Ankh repre- sented eternal life.
This photograph shows the eagle, the elephant and the butterfly in the carving.
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