Wallace Wolf. Photo by Carol Toler
Nancy Newbold was taking her morning constitutional Wednesday when she happened upon a noisy scene in front of Wallace Elementary. Rob Banda, chainsaw artist and owner of Rob’s Creations, was carving a wolf’s head from a dead tree in front of the school.
“I heard the sound so I looked, and that’s when I noticed the man on the ladder,” Newbold said. “Then I saw the wolf’s face. It was wonderful — what an amazing artist he is.”
Newbold is a frequent visitor at the State Fair of Texas, and she’s seen chainsaw artists there carve creatures of all kinds from logs and hunks of wood. She lingered a few minutes to watch as Banda expertly carved “WOLVES” to represent the Wallace mascot.
“I loved it,” said Newbold, who stood across the street so she wouldn’t interfere with the artist’s work. “I was wishing I had a tree in front of my house so I could have him carve something for me. Years ago, we cut a pecan tree down, and that would have been so nice. Talented people do such amazing things.”
Wallace’s PTA hired Rob’s Creations totransform the red oak, which stands on the school’s front lawn and began to die after last year’s freeze. It was taken down by the Richardson ISD facilities team so it wouldn’t be a safety concern.
The PTA had raised funds for an undecided campus art project over the course of two years to beautify the front of the school, but they hadn’t yet settled on what that project would be, according to Sandra Verduzco, executive director of marketing and communications for RISD. PTA President Lorin Anderson and Clayton Brown, a Wallace alum and parent, collaborated on the design with the goal of instilling “Wallace Wolves pride” and preserving the memory of the tree.
“It was such a beautiful entrance, this tree,” PTA President Lorin Anderson told NBC 5. “We could still turn it around and have something really meaningful, really wonderful, and frankly joyful, and just good old plain fun!”
Frank Gomez retired at Wallace in 2022 after 27 years, and he’s glad to hear that the PTA turned a negative into a positive.
“The tree had been looking unwell for a while,” he said. “This is a great way to make students, parents and teachers feel welcome.”
Wallace Elementary was built in 1959, and the tree was one of the oldest and largest on campus. Its shade was a frequent gathering place for students, and the PTA hopes the sculpture will become a memorable and distinctive monument for years to come.
School begins August 12.
This post has been updated. Wallace Elementary is at 9921 Kirkhaven Drive.
Rob’s Creations. Photo by Nancy Newbold.
