Plano artists repurpose fallen 425‑year‑old oak into public sculpture and guitars

Wood from a nearly 425‑year‑old oak that fell in 2023 is now part of public art and musical instruments in Plano. Artists selected to work with sections of the tree have produced a carved sculpture for Haggard Park and a small run of guitars made from the same wood.

The oak, known locally as the quadricentennial oak and formerly in Bob Woodruff Park South, was offered to artists after it fell in 2023. Larry Solomon, a sculptor, received a large section and carved wildlife imagery meant to represent animals that sheltered in the tree over centuries. "What I'm trying to capture here is for 400 years, animals have been sheltering under this tree in Bob Woodruff Park. So what I'm trying to capture are the animals of Bob Woodruff Park in my carving," Solomon said. He also described his tools and approach: "I love love carving out a wood particularly with chainsaws and, angle grinders. You know, angle grinder, man's best friend." The sculpture will be on permanent display at Haggard Park in downtown Plano.

Eric Smith, a teacher and guitar maker, used portions of the same oak to build guitars. "I'm always looking for a challenge. I thought it would be an appropriate project for, the the life and future life of the the tree itself," Smith said. City narration indicated Smith has finished two guitars so far and plans more. Smith said he does the work for artistic reasons rather than profit: "I don't know that I do this for the money. I'm not getting rich at it. I do it because this is my art outlet. You know, I'm a creative person and and this is my art." The narrator noted the instruments "have a rich, beautiful tone."

City staff or program details on how artists were selected were not specified in the transcript. The transcript identifies the tree's former location (Bob Woodruff Park South), the sculpture's display site (Haggard Park), the two named artists (Larry Solomon and Eric Smith), that the tree fell in 2023, and that two guitars have been completed; no funding amounts, formal approval actions, or precise dates for the sculpture installation or guitar sales were provided.

The project repurposes a large, locally significant tree into long‑term public artwork and functional instruments, preserving material and cultural links to the former oak.