A tree is a key to understanding our larger ecosystem. Look Up: Stop, Observe, and Draw Manhattan’s Oldest Tree.

Tree Wonder is an eco-art initiative to raise awareness of nature in the city. The focus is Manhattan’s oldest tree, the monumental English Elm in the northwest corner of Washington Square Park, which is more than 300 years old. Park visitors from the neighborhood, the city, and the world walk by this awe-inspiring tree but rarely stop to observe and wonder.

What is Tree Wonder?

On Sundays in the spring and fall, we host public drawing sessions at the base of the English Elm. An artist leads each session. Free drawing materials and paper are provided at the circular array of tables and benches surrounding the elm, a perfect classroom. Passersby are encouraged to look up: to stop, observe, and join in to draw. Explore our archive of over 1,000 drawings of the English Elm by participants and images from our weekly sessions on our Instagram page: @treewonderwsp.

The weekly sessions have been offered since March 2022 on Sundays from 11:30am to 1:00pm. On average more than 200 hundred people stop to observe the tree and more than 50 stop to draw. An honorarium of $100 is offered to each artist to host a session and share their skills and passion with the community.

Who is Tree Wonder?

The initiative is led by visual artist Kristin Jones and urban forester Georgia Silvera Seamans, director of Washington Square Park Eco Projects and founder of Local Nature Lab. Madison Markham is the Project Manager. Our drawing sessions are fueled by volunteer efforts and generous donations from community members like you! Tree Wonder is part of a larger artistic and scientific project entitled BEHOLD: Trees, A Visual Exploration that is under the fiscal sponsorship of the Local Nature Lab.

We Need Your Support!

Each drawing session costs about $350, which includes artist honoraria, drawing material costs, and essential administrative support to produce each session. We offer 12 sessions each season, bringing the yearly cost to $8,400. We need your support to keep this beloved weekly placemaking program alive! We will gladly acknowledge your contribution on our platforms.

Here's what your donation will support:

$10: Pays for 2 Drawing Pads
$20: Pays for 10 Colored Pencils — we will gift you an original drawing of the English Elm donated from participants of the Fall 2024 season!
$50: Pays for Support Staff for 1 Session
$100: Pays 1 Artist Honoraria
$350: Pays for 1 Full Drawing Session (including administrative support)
$4,200: Pays for 1 Entire Season (12 Drawing Sessions, Spring or Fall) — we will acknowledge you as a sponsor for the season on promotional materials!
$8,400: Pays for 1 Entire Year (24 Drawing Sessions) — we will acknowledge you as a sponsor for the year on promotional materials!

All donations over $20 will receive an original drawing of the English Elm donated from participants of the Fall 2024 season! Be sure to include your mailing address at checkout.

LOOKING UP: Support Tree Wonder into 2025!

By Local Nature Lab

LOOKING UP: Support Tree Wonder into 2025!

Help us fund our Spring 2025 Drawing Sessions at the Oldest Tree in Manhattan, the English Elm in Washington Square Park