Artist turns Denver's trees blue to raise awareness about deforestation

DENVER – Go for a walk in Denver’s theater district and you might notice something is different about the trees in the area: They’ve suddenly turned blue.

The trees have received a coating of blue paint, courtesy of artist Konstantin Dimopoulos.

The blue trees are an art installation that aims to raise awareness about deforestation and its effects on the planet.

“Forty percent of all the oxygen we breathe on this planet comes from trees,” Dimopoulos told a group of children that was helping him paint the trees Monday morning.

“You’re almost saying to the trees, by coloring them, ‘Please don’t touch us. Leave us alone.’”

From now until May, Dimopoulos plans to paint 150 trees in the theater district. He’s using a water-based, nonpermanent paint that will fade over time and won’t harm the trees.

Click or tap the image below to see more photos of the art project.

Denver is one of several cities getting the paint treatment and Dimopoulos says the goal is to get people to stop and think.

“If you can get people to actually slow down and turn their heads for a moment, you’ve succeeded in public art.”