Author: Todd Smith

Hi! I am an interdisciplinary artist and committed educator. From 2007-2010 I climbed a tree everyday and documented the project with photography, video and writing on this blog. I am revisiting the trees and writing again starting March 2018. Stay tuned. My work considers our collective impact on the urban environment. Projects range from community-based, data-driven projects interpreting bike usage into sound, photography and video series exploring human movement through urban structures and green spaces, and interactive sculptures that vary in their use of found materials, analog technologies, and emerging digital media. I currently teach a variety of 2D, 3D and digital subjects at universities in the Louisville, Kentucky area.
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DAY 57

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DAY 57
05.31.07
TREE 63

I walked the stone and grass trail along side the woods towards the white Mount St. Francis water tower. I passed by a tree I had climbed in early April and almost couldn’t recognize it with all the accumulated growth. As I walked I was constantly bothered and buzzed by bugs flying around and landing on my head. I also found myself preoccupied looking for 4-leaf clovers in the many patches I encountered along the way. I came to a very small pond near a religious wooden hut. There on the edge of the woods was a tree similar to that of day 55, only smaller. The trunk split at the base and the two main lines continued up very close to each other. I jumped for the first branch and used limbs on both trunks to pull and step myself higher. I felt very secure and enjoyed this climb. Though I didn’t get very high, I was in the top of this tree, choosing the one trunk side that went slightly higher. On the way down I focused on the other trunk and the other side than the way I came up. It seems as though I am drawn to use as many different branches as possible on the way down. That is, except in trees where options are limited and I fear for my life.

5-31-08:  I like how you guys can just scroll down to DAY 55 to see what I am referring to.  I am also so glad my four leaf clover obsession has passed.  Last night I went to an art opening at Zephyr Gallery in Louisville.  It is the gallery I am an apprentice member of.  The show was about sound work and is really great.  (If you live in Louisville, you should definitely go check it out.)  I was hanging out in the back of the gallery where a band was setting up and I saw a patch of clover growing between the brick.  In the middle of conversation I had trouble turning my head back to my friends.  For a few seconds I quickly scanned for four leaves and then stopped myself.  It was a close one.

Just before the opening I met Basil at Tyler Park to climb a tree.  We scaled the old stone bridge wall and once on the street I spotted a nice sycamore next to the road.  There was a power line that rubbed a part of the trunk about 15 feet up.  At first this seems dangerous, but as a thrill seeker, I am now drawn to trees with power lines that run through them.  You’ll see in coming entries… but it adds another obstacle, an element of challenge that I like.  I ran up the slightly leaning trunk and grabbed the first limb after a few tries.  I climbed up and made it past the line with no difficulty.  Then I continued up to the top.  As I positioned my body to free my hands to manipulate my camera a huge gust of wind sent me bending backwards and it really caught me by surprise.  Eventually I could feel Basil starting to climb the tree as well.  Ever since he has started climbing with me it is a strange feeling to be in the top of a tree and to feel the slight shake of another person over 50 feet below.  I, of course, took some pictures and a video.