{"id":93107,"date":"2026-05-31T12:16:41","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T16:16:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/?p=93107"},"modified":"2026-05-24T11:29:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T15:29:17","slug":"spotlight-on-echoes-of-the-forest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/outdoors\/spotlight-on-echoes-of-the-forest\/","title":{"rendered":"<strong>Spotlight On:<\/strong> Echoes of the Forest"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_93112\" style=\"width: 1610px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93112\" class=\"size-full wp-image-93112\" src=\"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_7993-copy-2-e1779636289515.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"772\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_7993-copy-2-e1779636289515.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_7993-copy-2-e1779636289515-300x145.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_7993-copy-2-e1779636289515-1024x494.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_7993-copy-2-e1779636289515-768x371.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_7993-copy-2-e1779636289515-1536x741.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_7993-copy-2-e1779636289515-810x391.jpg 810w, https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_7993-copy-2-e1779636289515-1140x550.jpg 1140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-93112\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">NC Arboretum staff enjoy a first sit on a bench by artist Chester Shuey<\/p><\/div>\n<p>By Emma Castleberry<\/p>\n<p>Hurricane Helene was responsible for unprecedented forest loss across our region. These forests are a vital part of Western North Carolina\u2019s economy, ecology and identity. A new non-profit organization, Echoes of the Forest, seeks to transform this loss into something positive through public art installations known as Echoes, which are created by local artists using felled trees. Founder Liisa Andreassen launched Echoes of the Forest in 2025 with the help of local marketing company Marketing Outpost.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_93109\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93109\" class=\"wp-image-93109\" src=\"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_5444-copy-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_5444-copy-2.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_5444-copy-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_5444-copy-2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_5444-copy-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_5444-copy-2-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_5444-copy-2-810x608.jpg 810w, https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_5444-copy-2-1140x855.jpg 1140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-93109\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kwadwo Som-Pimpong planing the salvaged walnut wood for the Biltmore Town Hall project<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Echoes of the Forest has completed several commissions, including three permanent installations at the North Carolina Arboretum, a bench in the River Arts District, a mantelpiece for the Biltmore Forest Town Hall and a bear statue at Cane Creek Soccer Fields, funded by Buncombe County Parks &amp; Recreation to recognize the site\u2019s critical role in Helene recovery.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDuring the storm response, the fields served as a major debris management site, temporarily shifting from recreation to essential infrastructure,\u201d says Allison Dains, parks and recreation director for the county. \u201cAs the fields were restored, the County partnered with a local artist through Echoes to repurpose storm-felled trees into a permanent installation, transforming materials from the disaster into a symbol of renewal.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The piece, called <em>Soccer Cub<\/em>, was crafted by Mike Ayers of Mountain Mike\u2019s Whetstone Woodworks. \u201cWorking with Echoes was a highly collaborative and rewarding experience,\u201d says Dains. \u201cTheir team brings a thoughtful, community-centered approach to their work, taking time to understand the history and significance of the site while incorporating local input into the creative process.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_93111\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-93111\" class=\"wp-image-93111\" src=\"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_7884-copy-2-e1779636417446.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"337\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_7884-copy-2-e1779636417446.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_7884-copy-2-e1779636417446-300x253.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_7884-copy-2-e1779636417446-1024x864.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_7884-copy-2-e1779636417446-768x648.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_7884-copy-2-e1779636417446-810x683.jpg 810w, https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_7884-copy-2-e1779636417446-1140x961.jpg 1140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-93111\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mac Franklin, director of Horticulture at the NC Arboretum, takes a ride on Shelley the Box Turtle<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Andreassen acts as matchmaker between commissions and artists. \u201cI have learned about the artists\u2019 different styles and what they are most comfortable working with, such as indoors or outdoors and what type of wood,\u201d says Andreassen. \u201cOnce I get a commission, I discuss the project with the artist I think is the best fit, and then they draw up a sketch and we decide on a budget.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Andreassen selected artist Kwadwo Som-Pimpong for the Biltmore Forest Town Hall mantelpiece commission. \u201cHis elegant approach to design was a perfect match for this project,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>Som-Pimpong has been woodworking since 2015, and most of his career has been spent working with dried lumber. \u201cDried lumber is stable and more predictable,\u201d he says. \u201cWorking with fallen trees is different in that the wood is still full of moisture and as it dries, it can move in very unpredictable ways. The expectation of wood movement has to be factored into the design. This presents a great challenge, and yet the joy of surprises. This work helps the community to see how beauty can rise out of destruction and adversity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There is a GPS map locator on the nonprofit\u2019s website that lists the location of each Echo as they are installed and unveiled. \u201cBy honoring what was lost while creating something enduring, it invites us all to reconsider how we respond to environmental challenges: not with resignation, but with creativity, collaboration and care,\u201d says Andreassen.<\/p>\n<p><em>Learn more at <a href=\"http:\/\/EchoesoftheForest.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">EchoesoftheForest.org<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hurricane Helene was responsible for unprecedented forest loss across our region. These forests are a vital part of Western North Carolina\u2019s economy, ecology and identity. A new non-profit organization, Echoes of the Forest, seeks to transform this loss into something positive through public art installations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":93110,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47,62],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-93107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts","category-outdoors"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Spotlight On: Echoes of the Forest - The Laurel of Asheville<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Hurricane Helene was responsible for unprecedented forest loss across our region. These forests are a vital part of Western North Carolina\u2019s economy, ecology and identity. 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These forests are a vital part of Western North Carolina\u2019s economy, ecology and identity. A new non-profit organization, Echoes of the Forest, seeks to transform this loss into something positive through public art installations.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/outdoors\/spotlight-on-echoes-of-the-forest\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/outdoors\/spotlight-on-echoes-of-the-forest\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/outdoors\/spotlight-on-echoes-of-the-forest\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_6057-copy-2-e1779636529209.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Spotlight-On-Echoes-of-the-Forest-IMG_6057-copy-2-e1779636529209.jpg","width":1198,"height":693,"caption":"A bench at the trolley stop on Foundy Street was the first Echo installation"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/outdoors\/spotlight-on-echoes-of-the-forest\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Spotlight On: Echoes of the Forest"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/#website","url":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/","name":"The Laurel of Asheville","description":"The Arts and Culture of Communities Across the Mountains","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/#\/schema\/person\/13d76582350fe4093b37d2b69174af00","name":"Amy Pryor","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4afbb9c963c7a0e8f027aafb31772d626615a03db2472868007f1e429a48cc2f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4afbb9c963c7a0e8f027aafb31772d626615a03db2472868007f1e429a48cc2f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4afbb9c963c7a0e8f027aafb31772d626615a03db2472868007f1e429a48cc2f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Amy Pryor"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93107"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93107\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":93114,"href":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93107\/revisions\/93114"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/93110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=93107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelaurelofasheville.com\/updatestage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=93107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}