Meet Forrest Nutterman
Meet Forrest Nutterman
Olean’s Woodland in the City Unveils New Squirrel
OLEAN - On Saturday morning, Woodland in the City founders Amy and Bob Sherburne, were joined by artist and Ashford Hollow native, Char Szabo-Perricelli, in the unveiling of a brand-new squirrel statue. Her three-year passion project (and alter ego) “Forrest Nutterman” is now proudly installed in Lincoln Park for all to see. “He was a labor of love,” said Szabo-Perricelli.
Woodland in the City was founded by Amy and Bob Sherburne, along with Mark Barta and Evelyn Penman, in 2006. The creative minds fashioned this art display project to promote public arts in the city. In 2007, the first squirrels were unveiled. Almost eighteen years later, 34 squirrels have been created. Forrest Nutterman is the twenty-ninth squirrel on display, as some are undergoing repairs and touchups.
“This has been the great part of this project,” said Amy Sherburne. “Artists connecting with us, investing in us and Olean. I never imagined we’d have so many artists that just lovingly gave their time.”
Sherburne and Szabo-Perricelli originally connected in 2020. Szabo-Perricelli is also a writer for Western New York Heritage Magazine and fought tooth and nail with her editor to write a story about the squirrel phenomenon in Olean that she had fallen in love with.
Through her collaboration with Amy Sherburne on the article, a beautiful friendship bloomed. After the article brought exposure to Woodland in the City and Olean, Amy offered Szabo-Perricelli a squirrel of her own.
She worked the next three years, overcoming personal losses and challenging weather, to bring Forrest Nutterman to life. Szabo-Perricelli thinks of Forrest Nutterman as her alter ego.
“He’s just a representation of myself,” she said. “He’s an extension of who I am as a person and as an artist.”
Forrest Nutterman is a tree-lover, a planter, a pollinator supporter, an ecologist, and an old hippie. “Everything about him is a visual representation of bio-awareness,” wrote Szabo-Perricelli in her artist statement. “He is a fuzzy and leaf-tailed friend of the Earth, actively participating in nurturing and caring for the planet.”
Inspired by Forrest Nutterman, the spot he now resides in Lincoln Park was no accident. It was chosen for its proximity to the memorial tree for Susan Cooper, who was the forester in Olean for 31 years, to honor her legacy.
“All the trees in the parks [and] along the streets she had a hand in,” said Amy Sherburne. “She never wanted to see trees cut. She was a great woman.”
Squirrel lovers, keep an eye out. Some old and well-loved squirrels will make their long-awaited return. A new squirrel may even join the crew in the next year or two. But for now, please enjoy Forrest Nutterman and thank Char Szabo-Perricelli for all the work she has done.
“I didn’t want to let him go,” she joked. “I’m kind of attached to this little dude.”