Fire consumes art sculpture at center

Beloved driftwood piece is charred, authorities say

SANTA CRUZ >> A large driftwood sculpture sitting at the heart of the Tannery Arts Center campus for the past three years was blackened to char in an overnight weekend fire.

The Santa Cruz Fire Department was called to the 1039 River St. property at 12:31 a.m. Saturday for reports of a fire to the structure. According to the Santa Cruz Police Department, a formal cause of the fire had not yet been determined as of Monday.

Police are assisting the Santa Cruz Fire Department in obtaining security camera footage from the property, according to police Deputy Chief Jon Bush. Santa Cruz Fire Department officials were not available for comment.

The Tannery property is home to 100 live/work lofts in two buildings, plus 28 artist studios, in addition to the Jewel Theatre at the Colligan Theater and Arts Council Santa Cruz County office space.

Artist Jayson Fann of Big Sur created the “Spirit Nest” sculpture in 2019 as part of that year's Ebb & Flow River Arts Festival. For the piece, Fann used driftwood branches gathered from Main Beach and the San Lorenzo riverbanks washed up after a winter storm.

Fann, reached by phone, said he “was pretty surprised” to hear of the fire from concerned residents over the weekend.

“I know it was a very beloved piece there because a lot of people in the community have reached out to me with their wishes and their regards,” Fann said. “It was a place for kids that met all during COVID. They would hang out for classes. The dance companies, a number of the dance groups, did choreography and used it as set design. A lot of other local artists utilized the space for photo shoots for their portfolios. So, I think that the Nest got a lot of creative use and was wellreceived. I'm grateful to have had an opportunity to spend time there with the wonderful community.”