Art-Is-Tree at ‘Saraghi Art Space’.

The date and time have been fixed, and so on March the 5th 2011 at 2.30 in the afternoon, Art-Is-Tree will launch onto the public arena in the Saraghi Art Space at Café Lugano at 71 Thompson Avenue, Cowes, on beautiful Phillip Island.

Phillip Island is a two hour drive from Melbourne, Australia … it offers sea & surf, stunning swimming and walking beaches, and wildlife abounds. The nightly ‘Penguin Parade’ is a famous and hugely popular spectacle (they ARE very cute) and is a popular destination for tourists from all over Australia and the world alike. Facilities range from 5 star to camping out in one of the many camping grounds around the island … and there are entertainment and eating establishments to suit any budget or taste. Basically … it’s a really pretty place and there is plenty to see and do.

In 2010 I completed 2 carving projects for the local Newhaven College on Phillip Island, working with the students to create colorful and lasting benches, one for the college itself, and another for Churchill Island, which is a small national heritage island nestled in close to Phillip Island. I then rented a farm on Phillip Island for a couple of months and worked on the One Tree art project which was installed in a Coburg Park last June.

2010 also saw me embark on a journey of ‘mural’ creation, which I have to date enjoyed immensely, and so for me Saraghi Art Space offers a wonderful opportunity to showcase some of those and more recent works in a professional setting … a very exciting concept indeed

Situated in the hub of the busy main street of Cowes, and popular with the locals and island visitors alike, Saraghi Art Space is an ideal location for an Art-Is-Tree happening …and to kick off 2011 in suitable style.

Now … although I am passionate about my art practice and a committed ‘chainsaw chick’, Art-Is-Tree is a celebration of the ‘tree’ and the magic of creativity, and thus life … and so … many creative individuals practicing with a variety of mediums have been encouraged to get involved.

Vanessa Brady is one such individual.

A corporate darling by day … she is also a wickedly talented photographer and has agreed to display for us some of her favorite ‘tree’ moments in time. Vanessa’s perspective of the world is not quite the same as so many of the rest of us. She sees the world in shifts of light and patterns, rich textures and demanding angles … and she has a knack for spotting the perfect moment in her camera frame … and capturing it.

You will be seeing much more of Vanessa very soon ... but for now ... here's a taste.

Art Is the Tree of life !!

The United Nations has declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests & Chemistry.

I have decided that 2011 is also to be the inaugural year of ‘Art-Is-Tree' in Oz.

Art-Is-Tree is to be a series of events that will engage on several levels.
Art-Is-Tree is creative chemistry, creative recycling, and pure spectacle.
Art-Is-Tree is a life style, and a way of viewing the world that we all inhabit.
Art-Is-Tree pays homage to the magical life allowing trees and forests of the world !!

A brief History !!

During the past few decades there has been a rapidly expanding International art movement evolving … that of ‘Chainsaw Carving’ or ‘Power Carving’ or ‘Extreme Art’… and with the onset of the Internet it has exploded in dramatic fashion onto the public consciousness the world over. Spectacular ‘Power Carving’ events are being held annually across the globe, where monumental artworks by the worlds’ best practitioners of this art form are created before an awestruck audience in a matter of days, and even hours. Power carvers are artful recyclers … often on a monumental scale … and whole towns have been transformed by the sculptures lining their streets and some, such as Hope in Canada BC, have become popular tourist destinations as a result. It is really quite incredible to witness what a skilled Power Carver can achieve in a relatively short period of time.

One of the many hugely successful public events I have participated in over the past decade is held in Hackensack, Minnesota, USA at the ‘Art-Is-Tree Fields’ of the fabulously talented Mr Ross Olsen (aka: Flying Squirrel). Ross, along with many others, has inspired me to not only explore my creativity, but also to spread the word and share with my fellow Australians the amazing Art being created under their very noses.

Which brings us to Art-Is-Tree in Oz.

A series of festivals, events and happenings are in the planning for Art-Is-Tree throughout 2011 and beyond. Through this blog we will keep you up-to-date on everything that is going on ... and introduce you to all the incredibly talented individuals that will be involved along the way.

Thanks for looking in ... expect some exciting developments soon ...