A century-old tree trunk sat dead in a backyard, hollowed out and headed for a creek. Atlanta artist Katie Vigilante had other plans for it.
Vigilante spent more than a year creating “The Tree of Kovel,” a mixed-media sculpture of deadwood, brass and cooper that now stands on permanent public display at Chamblee City Hall. It was unveiled Feb. 24, 2026, the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, to celebrate strength of Kovel, Ukraine, Chamblee’s sister city, and its people.
The trunk is a century-old boxwood elm, stripped of its bark, cleaned hollow, and layered in metallic paint. From this base, painted willow and crepe myrtle branches climb up, heavy with hand-fashioned canvas leaves in blues and greens. Around the roots, hand-hammered brass leaves rest among painted river stones.
“The tree stands for that resilience,” Vigilante said. “The dead trunk with life sprouting up stronger on a foundation of fallen heroes, honored in brass leaves for their incredible strength and sacrifice.”
The improbability of how it came together is part of the story.
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From flowers to a tree
Vigilante is known as a floral sculptor. She founded her own design firm, Fiore Vigilante, in 2022. Her work on “The Tree of Kovel” began when Balance Design Atlanta commissioned her to create an interior tree for the newly renovated Chamblee City Hall.
The piece earned its name after Vigilante learned that Kovel, a small town in the country’s west, is Chamblee’s adopted sister city. It also happens to be where her son’s girlfriend, Liza, is from.
“When I told her about this improbable connection,” Vigilante shared, “I told her I was making ‘The Tree of Kovel’ to honor her and her hometown.”
Vigilante’s partners at Balance Design needed time to envision how a dead tree trunk she salvaged could serve as a commemorative piece for City Hall.
“… the Balance team was not fully convinced this was the right approach,” Vigilante explained.“Once they saw the completely cleaned and painted boxwood elm trunk, the lead designer decided to present my idea to the city.”
A dead trunk, a living idea
Vigilante collaborated with several partners, including Liza, who doodled the brass leaf design during a studio visit. Mary Frances Maker fabricated them in copper and brass in three sizes.
“I felt an enormous responsibility to have this tree be hailed as a project of collaboration, responsibility, and solidarity,” she said. “When the city embraced the Tree Project, they made clear they would be dedicating the tree to Kovel and the resilience and strength of the people of Ukraine. They also understood the tree would be a symbolic giving tree to raise awareness of the concrete needs of Kovel and how people can help.”
What Chamblee will carry
Chamblee’s relationship with Kovel began in September 2022. Weeks after Russia’s invasion, the Chamblee City Council unanimously approved a resolution designating Kovel as its first sister city.
In the years since, Chamblee has hosted Ukrainian dignitaries, welcomed the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, organized a book drive to stock Kovel’s first English-language library, and formed a city commission to sustain the relationship long term. “The Tree of Kovel” is the latest expression of that commitment.
“Resilience is the word I use when describing the Ukrainian people,” Mock said in a statement, echoing Vigilante’s sentiments, “and this sculpture is a reflection of that.”