By Jessica Dillon
Ian Hogg, a local Christmas tree designer, has been creating elaborate light displays for around 20 years. This year, Hogg designed trees for the Piedmont Art Gravely-Lester Art Garden and the Town of Ridgeway, continuing a tradition he’s maintained for several years.
Hogg said his interest began when an old friend challenged him to a competition. “He would do something fun with a Santa hanging out of his chimney or something like that. And I had a tree in the backyard, I made out of lights. We just had a little competition, and I just kind of started there.”
He has been working with Piedmont Arts for about six years and (in) Ridgeway for about four. “I just really enjoy doing this for the communities, and I’m glad people appreciate it. It does take quite a bit of time to create these things. It is a work of love. I wish I had more time to do more, but I appreciate everybody enjoying it.”
“I’ve had other people see them and want me to do them, but I just simply don’t have the time. But it’s just something I enjoy, and everyone in town seems to like it. And it’s just a little thing I figured out I’m good at.”
Hogg has also created displays for several festivals. “The lights have kind of been my thing. Rooster Walk Music Festival, I’ve done some artistic. I throw lights in trees with my own unique way of doing them, and I’ve done that for years and years and years. I even did it at Floyd Fest for a year or two.”
He hopes to eventually set up a GoFundMe to reimburse himself for the thousands of dollars he’s spent over the years and to buy newer programmable lights. “I feel like when I’m retired, I’ll sit and play and have more fun with it. But it’s gotten to where it’s a little bit like work, but I still enjoy it.”
“I donate my time to Piedmont Arts, but when Ridgeway asked, the only way I can do it is just charge my hourly rate that I used to fix computers to do that. I always go on the low end for them, but I enjoy it.”
Hogg said he believes the mayor appreciates his work and the new additions to town, such as the pickleball court. Creating the displays isn’t always easy—staking decorations can be tricky, and Hogg sometimes uses archery to get decorations in trees.
“Another fun thing I do is use a bow and arrow to get the support cables and decorations in the trees. I’m terrible at archery, but it works. I go with fishing line on the arrow, tie twine to that, and pull up whatever decoration it is. I had to shoot an arrow over the tree in Ridgeway to get the support cable, and oddly enough, it worked.”
Hogg has encountered occasional issues. “One was last night when I was coming home, and the whole middle of my tree was not lit because the wind was so strong. I had one connection that did the middle strand, and it came loose,” he said.
“Lights have morphed over the years. I’ve gotten the fairy lights that the bulb is built into the strand, and they work so much better. I spent hours fixing lights with bulbs, and I will never buy another light with a bulb. It’s got to be LED and built into the strand.”
Hogg’s dream project is to make an entire tree out of programmable lights that can do “swirls and fun things.” “That stuff is not cheap. The ones I have now are basic. At some point, I’ll do a GoFundMe. I think I’ll have no trouble getting something to go toward more lights.”
He said he enjoys working on displays for other events as well. “I love being approached to throw some lights in a tree for a wedding or this or that. It is fun to be recognized for it and have that sense of accomplishment. I just wish I had more free time to play with lights versus actually go to work.”
“I hope to do it for years to come and improve upon it. It is a painstaking process, but the trees do last. About two or three years with these new lights.”
