The wood for the project comes from pieces of the elm that were set aside when the tree was removed. In all, the Brown Design Workshop received eight seven-foot branches from Brown’s Facilities Management team, which oversees the University’s 155-acre campus and cares for its approximately 2,500 trees.

On a recent September afternoon, Spilker continued his work crafting abstract sculptures from the elm’s wood — carving and refining it to his satisfaction. Previous days have involved splitting some of the wood, sawing it, stripping away bark and hollowing pieces out. Each day brings different steps, especially because he acts more in the moment than through carefully prepared plans. 

“With my process for sculptures, I don't plan everything beforehand,” Spilker said. “I don’t have a set design that I just execute. I'll do one thing and then sit with it for a while — honestly just staring at the work — until I figure out what that next step is.”

That creative process has served Spilker well in the past, including when he crafted a sculpture with wood from New Hampshire’s Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park. In terms of how Spilker hopes people receive the new project, he’s still working that out as well.

“I try not to over-prescribe the concept beforehand; it develops alongside the piece itself,” he said. “After I've finished the first one and start to have an idea of where this body of work will go, I’ll have a clearer idea of the audience or what I want to convey to a viewer.”

Pieces of the elm have also been set aside for other creative uses, too. For example, Ben Lyons, senior technical assistant at the Brown Design Workshop, used a section of the wood this summer to craft a base for a commemorative retirement plaque for Patrick McHugh, a teacher and academic leader at Brown’s School of Engineering. There has even been talk of making small tokens from the wood to give away during campus tours and events — making the wood a tiny slice of Brown’s history for visitors to take home.

Members from the Brown Design Workshop are also working with the greenhouse team at Brown’s Plant Environmental Center to prepare a cross-section slice of the elm tree, known as a “biscuit,” to use as a teaching tool that illustrates how to determine a tree's age by examining its growth rings.

“We want to leave it open to students and community members to be able to work with the wood,” Spilker said. “Many people with a project in mind will have the opportunity to do so.”

Before its removal, the elm tree was estimated to be over 80 years old and was a beloved presence on Brown’s College Green for decades, offering shade and charm during countless University events. Despite a two-year effort to save it — including deep aeration, fertilization and nutrient injections — the tree failed to bud again last spring and was removed to ensure that it did not become a safety threat to passersby.

Spilker’s project is still in its early stages and may take several months to complete. He hopes the final pieces will be done this academic year and become lasting fixtures displayed on campus.

“When I have spoken to staff and alumni of Brown and mention that we have some of that elm tree, they are so enthusiastic about the opportunity to work with the material and own a little piece of that history,” said Louise Manfredi, an associate professor of the practice of engineering and director of the Brown Design Workshop. “It means something to them personally, and I am so pleased that the BDW team can facilitate these experiences.”