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Tree Jumper Exhibition 2011
Thank you to all participating artists, families, schools, community groups and businesses for putting on a stunning show of tree jumpers for 2011. We had 144 snuggly warm and beautifully attired trees in the official tree jumper exhibition this year. Our themes of "Starry Starry Night" and "a rose by any other name" inspired some participants to really think outside the square - what a delight it is to see so much creativity.
Now that the festival has come to an end and our poor trees are naked once more - we start thinking about next year's exhibition (many artists have already booked their tree and are begging for the 2012 theme). We plan to announce the theme via this website and our FACEBOOK page on October 19, 2011. All suggestions from the public are welcome and will be considered. Please email your ideas to
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How did it begin?
The witty phenomena called yarn bombing is a relative newcomer to the street art scene gathering participants and audiences all over the world. The practice is thought to have started in the United States in the last decade with knitters finding a creative way to use left over yarn and unfinished projects. It is a form of graffiti without socio- political commentary or advertising. In the picturesque regional Queensland town of Warwick, yarn bombing a handful of trees seven years ago was the catalyst for the establishment of an art and music festival that transforms the town during the last two weeks of July every year.
Jumpers and Jazz in July began in 2004 inspired by the art community’s desire to reclaim and personalize the cold winter streets with textile art. The quirky “tree jumper” project captured the imagination of the local community and the event grew into a ten day arts festival that attracts visitors in droves. Lovely traditional textile crafts such as crochet, felting, dollmaking and weaving have prospered as a result of being applied in a popular contemporary context. In addition, new media work by artists such as Svea Bjornsson (Federal NSW) and Mary Elizabeth Barron (Ormeau QLD) have showcased the creative potential of recycled materials. “Cup of Tea, Milk and Chocolate” by Svea Bjornsson was the delightful winner of the Textile Art Tree Jumper Section in 2010. Made from hand and machine stitched teabags, milk cartons and chocolate wrappers, this tree jumper captivated our visitors.
The Festival is a must do for any textile lover and the street art exhibition is guaranteed to inspire and enchant all who see it. Every year the participating artists step up to a new level of cleverness and creativity. Warwick Art Gallery staff, the official tree jumper exhibition coordinators, begin allocating trees in January. Several of the 150 tree jumpers travel from overseas and are lovingly installed by gallery volunteers.
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