Warwick Art Gallery has opened registrations for the 2019 yarn bombed tree jumper exhibition. With wide spread interest since early January the Gallery team has been working hard to make sure everything is up to date and ready to go for those eager to start working on their entries.
As in previous years, everyone is keen to learn the competition theme and this year “CONNECT” has been chosen.
Warwick Art Gallery Director Karina Devine spent a couple of months consulting and experimenting with theme ideas until deciding on CONNECT.
“I selected this word initially by thinking about the process of creating with yarn and how the process of connecting the yarn makes it take shape and become strong,” said Ms Devine, “But it also applies more generally to how much the festival in general connects individuals, locals and visitors in a great big cosy hug – celebrating our region and enjoying our winter weather. Once you get thinking about the word “connect” there are so many ways to go with it – I’m keen to see the creations this year.”
This year will be the sixteenth time Warwick Art Gallery has assisted artists to transform the CBD streets into a living yarn art gallery. Creating an artwork for one of the trees is a carefully planned labour of love for every participant and the entire exhibition of over 100 decorated trees is one of the main reasons people travel to the festival. The truly remarkable thing is that most of the entries are created by local individuals, groups and businesses. Only a small number of entries come from out of town.
“This year is going to be very special as our entrant from England, and her husband, are travelling to Warwick to install their tree jumper themselves for the first time”, continued Ms Devine, “Myra Scott, from Lincolnshire, has been entering since 2006 by posting her entry. We are so looking forward to welcoming her and her husband to Warwick for a week during the festival”
This year the Warwick Art Gallery Management Committee will contribute $2000 in prize money to be awarded across four sections of the competition. The winners will be selected by a judging panel of two textile artists from Brisbane, Kate Oszko and Helen McIntosh. The winners will be announced at Jazz at the Gallery on the first Saturday of Jumpers and Jazz in July the 20th of July.
The tree jumper exhibition is just one of the projects that Warwick Art Gallery coordinates for the festival. The amazing yarn bombing team has another extraordinary installation well under way titled “Off the Grid”. It will be set up in the Warwick Art Gallery foyer for the festival and is sure to attract thousands of visitors.
The winner of last year’s Hall of Fame award for tree jumper excellence, Margaret Armstrong, will have her first exhibition at Warwick Art Gallery showcasing several of her favourite tree jumpers plus other works she has created using her precise stitching and felt piecing.
In the main Gallery one of our favourite guest artists will return to present her stunning touring exhibition Wanton, Wild and Unimagined. Alison McDonald, from Townsville, will be remembered for the incredible artwork she created out of milk bottle lids in 2016. This touring exhibition stirs the imagination and evokes environmental reflection.
By converting masses of everyday objects into visually aesthetic conceptual discoveries, McDonald’s artwork communicates the optimism in regenerating rubbish, whilst raising questions about the relationship we have with plastic and its supposed sustainability.
The best way to keep informed about any of Warwick Art Gallery’s exhibitions and projects is to become a Gallery Member, as information will be posted or emailed directly to you. Alternatively you can find all the information on the Gallery’s website www.warwickartgallery.com.au