The Creative Legacy of Oliver Tree
Written by Michael Cole
It’s taken two solid months of processing for me to sit down and write this blog. Even now, as I type the words, it still doesn’t feel real or right. As an artist, I have an aversion to being inspired by other artists. It feels more accurate to say that I am motivated by them, and even then, that distinction only applies to a few people. I am saturated by inspiration and ideas of my own, but I often get distracted and/or depleted of the energy to create. It’s in those moments where I look to people like Jesse Higman, David Choe, and the subject of this article: Oliver Tree.
You may or may not be familiar with his presence here. If you are, you know he left our world way too soon on June 14th of this year when a helicopter he was riding in collided with another helicopter midair over Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. That accident would claim the lives of all on board both aircraft. He was just fifteen days shy of his 33rd birthday.
He was a known mischief-maker and internet troll. You could never really be sure if what you were hearing from or about him was completely accurate. I learned early on in his career to take everything he said with a grain of salt. Because of this, when my wife first said the words, “Oliver Tree died,” my initial response was, “Stop it...,” accompanied by a patronizing grin. I couldn’t believe she’d fall for such a thing. But it wasn’t a joke. He was gone.
Oliver was probably the most motivated artist I’ve ever encountered in my life. On top of this, he was also one of the most authentic and prolific artists of our time. He was a natural entertainer and a genuinely good human being by all accounts. He was born and raised in Santa Cruz, CA, and attended the California Institute of the Arts. It was during his time at CalArts that he invented and developed Turbo, one of many characters he created as a means to express himself. He would go on to create a new persona for each album he released, introducing the world to Shawney Bravo and Cornelius Cummings.
I first came across him sometime early in 2016 when I heard “Forget It,” a song by Getter that featured Oliver on vocals. I was at a rough patch in my life, and the lyrics and cadence of that song resonated deeply with something inside me. I was immediately intrigued and began searching for more from him. It was during the first year or so that I would post about Oliver to my social media accounts often, and at some point, I befriended a person on Instagram named @santacruzflatheads. We would interact on all kinds of posts, but he always seemed to comment on my Oliver Tree posts the most.
I eventually found out that he was Oliver’s dad, Jesse Nickell. While I was initially surprised and admittedly delighted to learn that I was connected to the father of someone I admired creatively, we’d been friends for a couple of years at that point, and by then, he was just Jesse to me. Over the years, we spoke regularly through messages. We watched Oliver ascend into cultural relevance together, seeing him go from thousands to several million followers. We would discuss his new releases and upcoming projects, and over time, we developed a solid friendship.
When I returned to my education as a college art student at 43, Jesse would often send me words of encouragement. When I became a father that same year, he started sharing his parenting wisdom with me. He would randomly check in on me and offer words of support. I don’t think he realizes how much of a positive impact he’s had on my life. Many of what I consider my most successful moments as a father are due to his influence. I’ve overcome several obstacles and gained the strength to love myself a little more because of his input. I don't think I can ever repay him for that.
When I first learned of Oliver’s passing, my initial thoughts were of Jesse, and my heart hurt so badly for him. The only words I could muster were, “I love you,” and to my surprise, he responded immediately with, “Peace be with Oliver”. Those words carried so much strength and wisdom, delivered at a moment when I’m certain I would have been inconsolable. I was in awe of him. That awe not only sustained but grew in the coming days and weeks as I watched Oliver’s family face the unimaginable with strength, grace, and so much care for his legacy. They immediately began fulfilling his last wishes and preparing his final resting place, including building his coffin and pouring the concrete at his gravesite themselves.
Oliver was laid to rest in the Nickell family plot at Evergreen Cemetery, a historic site where many prominent local Santa Cruz figures are buried. I felt privileged to visit and pay my respects just hours after he was interred there, but I was also angry at the universe because it was then that I knew it was real. My family and I attended his Celebration of Life, held in The Quarry at UC Santa Cruz. My children have been lifelong fans of his and sang along with the crowd as we honored his life and creativity. It was surreal and often emotionally overwhelming, but I’m thankful we had the opportunity to share that experience.
The variety of people at that event showed the range of Oliver’s impact on the world. Every kind of person was there together in his honor, and the energy was just pure love from all around. We laughed, cried, sang, and said goodbye. I am forever grateful to the Nickell (and Begin) family for providing those of us who never knew him but were deeply affected by his presence the opportunity to join them in that moment. I’m not sure I’ve seen anything like it in my almost fifty years of life. Not only were people invited to attend in person, but it was streamed worldwide, giving millions of grieving fans the opportunity for closure. It was beautiful.
As a testament to the kind of human he was, Oliver left behind nearly his entire fortune to benefit art and emerging artists. He initiated the formation of Dr. Oliver Tree’s Extremely Epic Art Grant for Baby Geniuses less than a year before his untimely death, after which his family, friends, and team began immediately implementing his wishes. It was inspiring to witness the love and energy they put into not only caring for and preserving his legacy but also the attention and intention they directed at producing his Celebration of Life. It is obvious to me that he was so very loved by those who knew him. He was such a force.
It's difficult to write something like this about someone I respect so much. Everything you could say about him has been said a million times since his passing, and I honestly haven’t had the courage to confront his loss directly until now. There have been many tributes, murals, and articles written memorializing him. I really didn’t know if I’d have anything new to add to the conversation, but I do know that I want to be a part of it. I’ll be talking about Oliver for the rest of my life. Not every day, but often.
The reason I will continue to carry his message and say his name goes far beyond celebrating his creative genius. It’s because, in doing so, I’m choosing to support the very act of creation itself. Oliver understood that art is a lifeline. By leaving nearly everything he had to ensure the next generation of misfits and baby geniuses could create without limits, he transformed his own tragedy into an enduring gift. Every stream, every piece of merch, and every video watched now directly fuels his foundation.
At OVFO Arts, we are profoundly honored to support that mission because we know firsthand how life-changing a little encouragement and community can be. You can find a link to donate to his foundation in the community partners section of this website.
Oliver showed us that our time here is incredibly fragile, but the energy we put into others doesn't die with us. The art we make, the laughter we provoke, and the wisdom we pass down will carry on. So, support the artists around you. Make something loud, weird, or beautiful today. Do it with intention.
Peace be with Oliver.
To donate to Oliver's foundation visit: https://www.drolivertreesextremelyepicartgrantforbabygeniuses.com
See photos and read stories about Oliver from around the world at:
Thank you to Jesse, Christine and Jessup Nickell along with Oliver's team for being so amazing, helpful and supportive. I am so grateful to all of you.
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