Congratulations to Margot Walker, web and applications manager in the School of Law, for being the first to find and photograph SU's blue tree. For this, Margot gets a Commons hat.
As for the tree, which is located behind the Admin Building, it was inspired by the Blue Tree Movement, which is described at the site as, "a socially driven art action by Australian artist Konstantin Dimopoulos...to raise awareness about deforestation." More than 30 million acres of old growth forests are lost every year, which, as the description reads, is roughly equivalent to 640,000 Seattle University campuses.
You've probably seen some of the artist's trees, painted ultramarine blue with an eco-friendly solution, at Westlake Park or along the Burke-Gilman Trail near Kenmore. SU's Facilities team got into the act by removing a tree that died of natural causes, painting it blue and reinstalling it.
A big thanks to Gail Yates, academic development officer, for providing the idea for this contest, and to Becki Koukal-Liebe of Grounds for providing background on the tree.