The Copper Beeches of Manchester, New Hampshire by Fascia

Fine liners, graphite on paper

Open edition print

6 x 9 inches

2025

About this artwork:
Manchester City Library Copper Beech #1
This otherworldly copper beech was my first discovery. She inspired me to look for other copper beeches in Manchester. She is colossal with vast trunks and extensive branches which create a beautiful canopy. Her leaves are green and turn “copper” in the fall. Her trunk has the typical smooth, grey bark which resembles elephant legs. The thin bark, which is easily carved into, displays a few initials. The library was built in 1914, dedicated to Mrs. Eleanor Blood Carpenter by her husband Franklin Pierce Carpenter upon her passing. Paintings of them hang in the library rotunda. The tree and library are at 405 Pine Street.

Manchester City Library Copper Beech #2
With permission, I was examining the grounds of the library and there she was on the right front side. She has one of the busiest and intriguing bark formations, as you can see in my rendering. She has so many cankers, bark marks, and bumps. These are most probably caused by the interaction between insect and fungi infestations. She stands at the front right of the library at 405 Pine Street facing a lovely park.

Franklin Pierce Carpenter Copper Beech
On the grounds of the Franklin Pierce Carpenter house, 1800 Elm Street, Manchester, NH, lives this massive copper beech tree. Her trunk is huge and looks like elephant legs with thin, grey bark. Her roots fan out from the lower part. This is due to her thick, shallow roots above and below ground grafting together creating massive, tangled wood platforms (I have sat on the one on the left). She has burls, mushrooms and crannies. This house was built in 1891.

Wagner Park Copper Beech
In Wagner Park (“pretty park) located at 242 Myrtle Street, Manchester, NH, stands a magnificent copper beech tree.
Dedicated in 1944 by daughter Ottilie Wagner in honor of her deceased parents, the tree has been a prominent feature of the park for many years. Its distinctive bark formations, large bracket mushrooms, moss, and lichen contribute to her unique appearance. Notably, the tree possesses a a prominent burl, enhancing her visual appeal.

Learn more about and view all artworks by Fascia.

This artwork can be collected at time of purchase, picked up at the gallery during gallery hours, by appointment, or will ship for free the day after purchase. Please email amy@seesaw.art prior to check-out  with any questions.