Woman takes ‘upside-down year’ to next level with tree

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    Nashville, TN (WSMV) — For many in the Middle Tennessee area in 2020, it’s been an upside-down world.

From March’s deadly tornadoes to COVID-19 struggles, a lot of people have bene impacted in one way or another this year.

For Nashville’s Emme Simpkins, she took the upside-down them of the year to another level.

“I felt disconnected in putting up familiar things from the past to provide a feeling,” Simpkins said. “I was looking for the right answer on how I’m going to achieve and respond to something to all of what we’ve gone through this year.”

Simpkins did something she’s never done before.

“My response was to create art,” Simpkins said.

She did so on a Christmas tree, but upside down.

“Since the world is upside down, I would respond in an upside-down way,” she said.

“While it is severe and traumatic, it also unites us. I just wanted to bring all of that together.

She did with COVID-themed ornaments.

“Safer at home, flatten the curve, six feet apart, social distancing, curbside pickup only,” Simpkins said, listing the ornaments on her tree.

Every part of the tree has a meaning behind it, even with a section recognizing those impacted by March’s deadly tornados.

“The roots were as cool as the upside-down tree,” she said. “Trees have withstood droughts, even pandemics.”

She hopes once her tree comes down it will be a way of starting fresh with a new calendar year.

“It’s like we can say goodbye to 2020.”

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