The American Tree is a work in progress and when completed, will be a 40-foot tall monument carved out of 2 ½' by 3’ chunks of wood, which will have been collected from every state tree in the union and then assembled on top of a 287-year-old California Oak tree stump.

Incorporated into the body of this magnificent sculpture, will be hundreds of wooden artifacts and objects contributed by recent immigrants and by American families of past immigrants. Each wooden item will tell a story pertinent to the individual or family who will have donated it.

Items such as a piece of wooden fence taken from the original site of Bunker Hill (actually known as Breed's Hill) This artifact was offered by the Breed family to The American Tree as a piece of American history, and it tells the story of an extraordinary American immigrant family who came to America on the ship directly behind the Mayflower.

Another example is of a small wooden mailbox, which has carved across its top “home sweet home”. When the creator of The American Tree, Hal Arscott came to America he did so with not much more than this wooden mailbox under his arm and the clothes on his back. As he traveled across the country he kept meeting American service personal in airports and at bus stops. These young men and women were being sent overseas to serve their country. Deeply moved by their youthful enthusiasm and patriotism, Hal asked all to sign his mailbox. What was touching about this was that they were offering him their best wishes for his project and welcoming him to the United States, while they were leaving to serve her. This mailbox was Hal's traveling companion as he travelled from state to state and it was the first item to have been contributed to The American Tree. It is proudly attached to its base.

It is stories such as these that will gently speak to everyone, through The America Tree.

 

 

 

 

Hal Arscott is a creative person at heart. At an early age he discovered that he had a talent for fabricating things out of odd bits and pieces and raw materials. Weather it was Halloween costumes made out cardboard and papier-mâché, or clothing made out of discarded sugar sacks, Hal seemed to be in his element when working with his hands. He was sure to find a career in a creative capacity. It was not a surprise, when Hal broke into the clothing industry as a mechanical illustrator and fashion designer in 1988.

He would co-found several clothing manufacturing companies and experience success internationally. Yet after 7 years of working in the clothing industry, Hal would make an unexpected change in his life and leave this industry for another adventure. In 1995 he sought re-training as an Information Technologies specialist, focusing on hardware, networks, communications, accounting systems and electronic media. In this capacity he provided vertically integrated IT consulting and support services to numerous businesses across a broad strip of the industrial spectrum. He has also dabbled in various other enterprises as well. Hal now finds himself dusting off his creativity and applying it towards the creation of The American Tree.

 

As a kid Hal Arscott would drive his parents nuts. He never seamed to identify with anything Canadian. Growing up just outside of Toronto, so close to the American border, he did not know that there was a difference between being a Canadian or an American. Yet he was to

 

Inspired, Hal took advantage of an opportunity that was just at his fingertips. His father had recenty received his own American Citizenship. Knowing how important it was to Hal he offered to sponsor him so that Hal could, one day achieve the same.

This gift was humbling. Hal knew that he owed a debt of gratitude to his father. He also new that he was blessed, for America had reached out to him and answered his dream, giving him the gift of opportunity and true freedom.

“Today’s America, even with her bruises, still shines as bright as ever. She calls out to those who dare to dream and offers without prejudice all that she can. For me, the opportunity to gain permanent access to the U.S. and to become an American Citizen was just a dream, but now, it will come true”. - Hal Arscott

 

 

Having been inspired by America and now having the opportunity to become an American himself, Hal felt that he had to give something back. This is where he came up with the idea to build a tree made up of wood collected from across the country. It was an idea thought of in the past by others and attempted by a cousin, who did something similar in Canada. It was a natural for Hal to draw upon the experiences of those who came before him and pioneer the unique concept of incorporating American immigrant heritage, folklore and history into his project.

Now he had the opportunity, he also had the motivation and he had the creative outlet by which he could express his gratitude. By drawing upon the roots of his own history, Hal found an immense well of cultural heritage, which enabled him to take on this challenge.

Hal’s mother a full-blooded Russian had given him through her lineage resiliency and humor. From the old country of Georgia deep in the heart of mother Russia her forfathers made thier way to North America and found peace and happiness in the beautiful simplicity of a farmer’s way of life.

Hal’s father, a mix of Scottish, Black Irish and English, provided a strong sense of logic, derived from a stoic hard-lived people. Yet Hal was also able to claim from that same lineage the trait of creativity. This he owed to to his great grandmother's great uncle, John Pettie the renowned 19th century Scottish artist whose distinguished works of art are still on view in all of Britain's museums and art galleries today.

As Hal embarks on his American odyssey he reflects, “it is with this sense of personal history that I endeavor to create The American Tree.”