About Arcadia
This imaginative rich bronze sculpture of a nude ‘tree man’ is one of a series of playful tabletop sculptures created by Canadian artist Roch Smith. The Tree Man series features figures whose limbs have been replaced by elongated, slender tree branches. Smith is known for his thought-provoking and intriguing work. The inspiration for these works came from nature; the evocative image of tree branches laying on the ground. Smith collected these particular branches from the forests of Arcadia, Michigan so the name speaks to geography. The word, ‘Arcadia’ also means a place of peace and unspoiled wilderness.“I simply like the idea of stretching out beyond one’s body limitations with these really absurdly long arms and legs – that you could really give someone a huge boost or a really enveloping embrace.” Roch Smith
Roch Smith received a BFA (Honours Sculpture) from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design (ECIAD - 1997) and an MFA from York University (2003). A teacher as well as an artist, he has taught classes at the University of Waterloo, ECIAD and York University. He currently manages and operates the bronze and aluminum foundry at York University. Roch Smith has exhibited throughout Canada and in the US. His work is included in private, corporate and museum collections.