Oliver Tree’s“Celebration of Life”was exactly the kind of beautifully weird event you’d expect from the artist behind“Life Goes On”and“Miss You.”Held in Santa Cruz on July 25, the service featured mannequins dressed in his signature windbreaker and bowl cut, a comedic eulogy from Logan Paul, and emotional words from Diplo, who called Tree the coolest person he’d ever met. Tree’s mother, Christine Begin Nickell, stepped on stage and urged fans to“get off the couch and produce art.”Post Malone couldn’t attend because he dedicated his Toronto show to Tree that same night.
Beyond the surreal touches, the event had a deeper mission. Tree had already planned to launch the Dr. Oliver Tree’s Extremely Epic Art Grant for Baby Geniuses, a foundation that funds artists to physically create their work. His family launched it in his memory, ensuring his legacy lives on through the next generation of creators. The entire service is available on Oliver Tree’s YouTube channel for anyone who wants to experience the tribute.
Oliver Tree passed away on June 14 in a helicopter crash in Brazil at age 32. But his message to trust yourself and make something with your hands is one we can all carry forward. What kind of art would you create if someone handed you the tools and the grant to do it? Let us know in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.