Aspen Launches 'Dear Trees' Public Art Installation

Aspen —Will you write to a tree?

Aspen’s newest public art installation asks that question starting Wednesday, Aug. 19. Six trees across town are now waiting for letters. The city has over 12,000 of them. These six are special. They hold mailboxes. They hold space for your thoughts.

The project is called “Dear Trees.” It is free. It is a public art experiment with a simple goal: bring trees into focus. It aims to deepen the relationship between community members and the landscape. Local artist Aggie Flores Maini created hand-drawn maps to guide you. These analogue charts lead to historical landmarks. You can find the trees at the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES), the Wheeler Opera House, Ute Cemetery, and John Denver Sanctuary.

Lindsay Branham founded The Heartwood Institute. She is also an environmental psychologist. She created this project. She believes the connection is inherent. “In that open, receptive place, a relationship can be born,” Branham said. She sees the act of writing as a window to play with nature. “We all know how to connect to nature because we are nature,” she said.

Branham drew inspiration from a letter-writing campaign in Melbourne, Australia. The response there was overwhelming. “They were just amazed with the response,” she said. Reading those notes touched her deeply. She decided Aspen needed the same experience.

The letters will be collected over a month-long period. They culminate in a public show at the Aspen Design Conference 2026. The conference runs from Sept. 18-20. Branham will speak at the event. The project is a collaboration between The Heartwood Institute, Buckhorn Public Arts, and ACES.

Tim Sack founded Buckhorn Public Arts. He sees this as a way to incorporate public art into the Aspen Design Conference. He values the dialogue Branham is creating. “This is something that allows people to get out into the community here and explore different corners of our town,” Sack said.

He notes that the project encourages people to see pieces of the community that are usually alone. “Art always encourages us to look at things differently,” he said. That is the prompt art naturally gives. Sack calls it a “cool interactive concept.” He sees all the good things about public art wrapped in one.

The Aspen Times reported on the launch. The details are clear. You do not need to guess where to go. The maps are available. The mailboxes are installed.

This is not just decoration. It is an invitation to engage. You do not need to be an artist. You do not need to be a poet. You just need to write. The trees are listening.

The Heartwood Institute, Buckhorn Public Arts, and ACES have done the heavy lifting. They secured the locations. They designed the infrastructure. Now they wait for you.

Will you pick up a pen? Will you find Ute Cemetery or the Wheeler Opera House? The maps are there. The mailboxes are open. The city is waiting for your words.

The Aspen Design Conference 2026 will display what you write. That happens in September. For now, the trees stand ready.