More Than a Tree: A Community Stitched Together

Some artworks tell a story through paint. Others tell a story through the people who create them.

One of the finalists in this year's Great Barrier Reef Festival Art Exhibition is TARTS Tree, a remarkable collaborative textile artwork created by the Textile Arts (TARTS) group from Hideaway Bay.

More than 20 artists contributed to the piece, each bringing their own creativity, skills and personality to the finished work.

The TARTS have been meeting for more than 15 years, bringing together Whitsunday locals and seasonal residents who share a passion for textile art. Their tree is a celebration of both nature and community.

The artwork began as a simple sketch of a stylised tree before being transferred onto stabilised wool. From there, every member played a part. Leaves, birds and insects were individually wet felted, embroidered, and stitched by hand. The sky and bushland were dry felted into the background, while the tree trunk and branches were carefully constructed using donated wool from Proserpine Chat and Patch. Even the hanging system became a community effort, with a local hairdresser creating the macramé hanger and a local woodworker crafting the timber end caps.

The Brush Turkeys, lovingly shaped by hand, add another distinctly Australian touch.

TARTS Tree is a reminder that creativity has the power to connect people. It represents countless hours of shared conversation, laughter, learning and craftsmanship, resulting in an artwork that is far greater than the sum of its parts.

See TARTS Tree and more than 80 finalist artworks at the Great Barrier Reef Festival Art Exhibition.

View the full list of finalists »

What: Great Barrier Reef Festival Art Exhibition When:

• Opening Night 6:30pm Thursday 30 July

• Exhibition Friday 31 July to Sunday 2 August

Where: Whitsunday Sailing Club, Airlie Beach