Dead trees become ArtPrize sculpture

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - When storms roll through and knock down trees, most people clear the wood, move it away, maybe stack it. Richard Morse turned dead apple trees into an ArtPrize piece installed in the Grand River.

Morse designed and built nine life-size horses galloping their way up the Grand River just south of the blue bridge in downtown. He said he's been working on this nearly non-stop for the past six week.

The wood came from trees felled in storms, "but the applewood I had to cut," he told 24 Hour News 8. "They are from dead apple trees. I like to use the wood that has weathered so that it looks like driftwood. I can't find enough driftwood on Lake Michigan to do this."

He calls his piece "Stick-to-it-iveness."

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Four area hotels in downtown Grand Rapids told 24 Hour News 8 they're filling up quickly for ArtPrize. The Courtyard by Marriott, the JW Marriott, City Flats and the Holiday Inn report near sell-outs on the weekends, and some are nearly sold out during the week. Along with ArtPrize, they said, there are other events, conventions and training in the next few weeks.