Tree Carving Fundraiser- ongoing

An extraordinary effort is underway in Niwot to restore Eddie Running Wolf’s iconic tree sculptures and return them to public view. Many of us can picture the three majestic carvings lining Niwot Road near 2nd Avenue; they were a marvel, and stood for years before weather and groundwater began eating away at the wood.

Tragically, in 2020, Eddie Running Wolf passed away from complications of COVID-19, but his son Dustin Wolf, with help from Jeff Wolcott, is leading the work to restore the sculptures to their original splendor. In 2021, Dustin and a small army of volunteers cut the carvings from their tree roots and moved them to Jeff’s home, where the intricate process of restoration began. Today, Spear Lodge Man and Cheyenne Holy Man are fully restored, and Eagle Catcher is scheduled to join them by the end of 2026.

In concert with representatives from the local Native American community, volunteers are completing site plans and blueprints for a teepee-like shelter for the sculptures. Soon, the three majestic figures will stand along the Lobo Trail in Left Hand Valley Grange Park.

A combination of grants, county funds, LID funds and private donations already covered the $50,000 cost of restoration. The volunteer tree carving committee of the Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA) will apply for additional grants and funds to help cover the $275,000 cost of the shelter, site engineering, and landscaping, but the bulk of that money will come from donations.

Any gift will help return these majestic sculptures to where we can all enjoy and admire them. Whether that’s $25, $250, $2,500 or more, it’s all appreciated.

At a donation level of $10,000 or higher, donors can choose to receive a 13.5″ maquette of Spear Lodge Man, Cheyenne Holy Man, or Eagle Catcher. The actual production cost (approximately $750) of the maquettes is not tax deductible, and a portion of your donation will cover our licensing fee, which helps support Eddie Running Wolf’s family, but the balance will help bring the tree carvings back to the community.

Please consider using the QR code below to contribute to this effort in whatever amount feels right to you. Checks can be made out to the NCAA and mailed to the Niwot Cultural Arts Association, P.O. Box 733, Niwot, CO 80544. Please write “Tree Carvings” in the memo line of your check.

For more information, feel free to email the Tree Carving Committee at niwottreesculptures@gmail.com. And thank you for helping give these three iconic works of art a safe new home.

Niwot’s Tree Carving Committee